Re: [RBW] Re: Northern Hemisphere Fall / Autumn Riding Photos 2023
Back in LA for a week, and the locals tell me it's lovely fall weather here. It was in the 90's last week, and this morning was in the upper 50's and cloudy. The clouds cleared out some as the morning warmed up. West Coast Sam waited patiently and rewarded me with a lovely ride up and down Cherry Canyon Motorway, with some bonus time in the hills above the Rose Bowl. [image: IMG_1688.jpeg] Ted Durant Alhambra, CA USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f6a9c67b-adc1-47a2-a2ce-5ad8ddc1e5a8n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Bluelug brass bits in stock
On Friday, October 27, 2023 at 1:13:04 PM UTC-7 Hash wrote: The plastic rings pop right off the bolts. The brass ones are then installed with a spanner. I use a park tool spa-2. I wasn't able to fit the Silver crank bolts into the brass caps, but it's possible my brass caps are from White Industries, not from Blue Lug. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5705200d-0002-41f9-958e-d08e32f56f93n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Hillborne fork on a Heron?
On Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 2:22:21 PM UTC-6 h...@chrisdedinsky.com wrote: This week I was commuting home from work on my Heron. I got a flat on my Challenge Strada Bianca 36 tires and on a whim—certainly inspired by the recent 'Rondini' episode of Ron's bikes YouTube episode—decided to stuff in a pair of much too large 700x42 Hurricane Ridge tires to enjoy until the snow falls. Yeah, the 40mm internal width of the original Heron fork crown puts an unfortunate limit on tire size. For my ST-22 I requested that fork crown because I wanted the round blades, as I was essentially trying to make a Heron Road with a bit more clearance and fork rake. I have 45mm fenders and 32mm tires on that bike, and the clearances are pretty tight. On the Touring frame we added more vertical clearance, and that gets you only so much additional horizontal clearance. When looking at swapping forks, pay close attention to the distance from the axle to the top of the bearing seat. If that is significantly different from the original, you'll change the head tube angle and therefore the steering geometry. Also, of course, the amount of fork rake will affect steering. I have the all the original Heron shop drawings, but they're in storage. Let me know if you want any specific dimensions. Ted Durant -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/509e439b-f50c-4d43-9c67-33911a85116bn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Gus ride shaming
On Friday, November 10, 2023 at 8:17:49 PM UTC-6 rmro...@gmail.com wrote: They asked " was that you that passed us on a cruiser bike?" Hah. Reminds me of the time I passed somebody on the trail, riding my Riv ATB, and they said "nice cyclocross bike". Yeah, except 26x2" tires aren't legal in cyclocross... Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/bc4e333b-bf23-483c-96fa-d26250139206n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Northern Hemisphere Fall / Autumn Riding Photos 2023
On Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 2:04:53 PM UTC-6 SallyG wrote: Thanksgiving Holiday Traffic! Hah, that's great! I also had a few turkeys cross in front of me on my ride today. I rang my bell at them but they paid zero attention. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/05ee4c55-0e21-4e8d-aee3-75e88ad8b590n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: A Homer Hill build....
On Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 8:27:06 AM UTC-6 sarahlik...@gmail.com wrote: so of course I decided to buy A Homer that I would like to build up specifically for rides with lots of hills! (To clarify, I am totally happy to take my time getting up hills on my Platypus which I have set up with racks and bags, fenders... but I like to ride with other people which are usually people with traditional road bikes with all the carbon fiber things). I'd want to hear more about what you mean by "lots of hills" and the kind of riders (not just their gear) you are with. You mention in a follow up riding up Mt. Diablo, for example. So, that to me says "sustained paved climbing at a mostly moderate but sometimes steep grade", unless you went to the top, in which case I'd add "sometimes wicked steep". I'd also want to hear more about your fitness level or, maybe more specifically, the speed at which you and your riding pals like to climb. I'm a lightweight, not especially strong rider but I like to push myself going up hills. I don't often find I need easier than a 1:1 gear; if I do, I'm off road on some VERY steep stuff. I don't worry too much about how big my biggest gear is, although riding with a good group can mean wanting some bigger gears. My general statement is that I'd rather be coasting down a hill than walking up it. I've been very happy with the 42x28 Silver cranks on my two Sams, with 32 or 34 tooth big cogs in back. I've been surprised at how many hills on which I've actually been able to stay on the 42. On the other hand, I have a Rivendell Road with a classic 53x39, 13-26 setup for the rare fast group ride. I did a super hilly group century on that bike ... it was a fast result, but it had a lot of out-of-saddle grinding time. I am a dedicated handlebar bag user and don't generally carry more gear than can fit in one, even for very long rides. Also, I am a big fan of Noodle Bars. I have some back issues (a couple of compression fractures) but I'm still pretty flexible and find that putting the tops of the bars level with the saddle and not too far away gives me the best combination of power (what little I have), several riding positions, and long-distance comfort. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/54f8dab3-9078-4c88-9da0-e70ca2d44450n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: A Homer Hill build....
On Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 8:35:43 AM UTC-6 sarahlik...@gmail.com wrote: I'm just trying to be more conscious about throwing racks and bags and accidentally building every bike into a touring bike This made me laugh ... yeah, my bikes all look pretty much the same, except for the Riv Road with the Campy Daytona group. But, that only looks different because it doesn't have a handlebar bag LOL. I keep thinking I should mix it up, but I gave a Cheviot an honest try (at least 5 different handlebars, including a Noodle!) and never liked it. After crashing my West Coast Sam coming off Mt Lukens a few weeks ago, I've been wondering if I need a Hillibike for that kind of riding :-) Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/94b8eb74-3899-4f8f-8d5e-d60cddf0c420n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: A Homer Hill build....
On Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 9:25:01 AM UTC-6 sarahlik...@gmail.com wrote: You always need a Hilly Bike... Do it! A list full of enablers :-) I had an injury (shoulder) last year and had what I would call total fitness depletion so I have been building back up from what feels like zero. I'm very sympathetic to that. I've had a bunch of weird stuff happen over the last few years, including a drug that started killing my red blood cells, so I have felt like I've had to restart the engine a few times. That might be one reason why my bikes are all set up the same way ... trying to stick with what works in terms of positioning, while I get the other things going. So while I figure that out I'm open to seeing what a lighter built up bike can do. Far be it for me not to be the enabler of buying another Riv, but have you considered stripping down one of your existing bikes and trying some nice, light tires? In my experience, tires make by far and away the biggest difference to how a bike feels, and if you've dialed in a good riding position, you could start there (and maybe a wider range set of gears in back). Removing a rear rack can also remove some stiffness from the rear of the bike, but I don't know how many people would feel that difference, especially on a bike that's already fairly stout and on cushy tires. with exception to the guy who led the first beginner ride I went on, looked at my bike and stated, "I hope I can ride slow enough..." Hoo boy, just the kind of person you want leading a group ride... one of the reasons I stopped going on group rides. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/bca88a6c-7b71-4d2d-8616-97ebb7736d6dn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: A Homer Hill build....
On Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 12:34:51 PM UTC-6 Jason Fuller wrote: I would echo that triples are pretty nice - not only do you get more range, but the 10-tooth jumps in the front are a lot less 'disruptive' if you know what I mean. I find the smaller chainring jump means that when I hit the base of a hill I can often just drop a chainring and leave the rear alone, and it is a natural gear reduction .. whereas on the wide-low double, you would be spinning like crazy if you tried the same thing Excellent point, and one that launches me into bike nerd mode... apologies in advance if this is too much. The "standard" chainring gap became 16 teeth when "compact double" 50x34 combos became all the rage. That's a 39% jump, the way I measure it (Ln(50/34)), or about 2.5 times the 15.4% jump from 18 to 21 in back. Now, if you keep that 16 tooth gap but go down to 40x24, that's a ginormous 51% jump, which is 3.3x the 18-21 jump. I have a 42x26 on my Waterford ST-22, and it's definitely jarring to drop to the small ring when you hit a hill, requiring a bit of advance planning to shift a cog harder in the rear, first. I spent plenty of time riding half-step gearing, so I'm facile with double-shifting, but after a couple hundred kms I'm too tired for that. For my Breadwinner G-Road I went with 44x32, which is a gentle 32% jump. It means there's more overlap in the gearing, or to put it another way, I'm not maximizing the total range of the system, but I very much prefer to make that trade-off. At 41%, the 14-tooth gap on the Silver 42x28's on my Sams is pretty much the outer limit for me. The Wide-Low (38x24) is a 46% jump which is pretty high. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a3954ba-86af-4775-8090-f3e4bba4fa44n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] A Homer Hill build....
> On Nov 27, 2023, at 8:55 AM, Eric Daume wrote: > > IMO redundant gears are more of a conceptual or theoretical concern than a > real issue. If you’re setting up a triple, you really end up with: > > - a middle ring for the majority of your riding > - a small ring for big hills, use it with the biggest cogs in back > - a big ring for downhills or otherwise going fast. Use it with your medium > and small cogs and back. > Perfectly described. Sarah, given that you have said you pretty much live in your 34t, this sounds like it fits your use case well. There’s a slight learning curve to getting comfortable shifting a triple, but with the right combo of chainrings and front derailer, it should work reliably. Grant has written a good description of how to get reliable shifts, but it presumes the mechanical things are set up correctly. Also, if you are going up a really steep hill, you might not have a half revolution worth of momentum. Imagine the circular pedal path as the face of a clock, and shift at 4:30. That’s half of your success. When your shifting foot is at 6:00, stop muscling the pedal entirely. Let it drift to 12:00. Call this ‘floating,’ and it’s the other half of success. As you float that pedal to 12:00, you also have to float the other side pedal to 6:00. The point is to eliminate power for half of a pedal revolution to de-tension the chain and give the shift time to take. When you honest-to-goodness float the pedal after the shift for, it takes just half a stroke. If you apply power even though you're not supposed to, the shift goes to hell, you lose your momentum, you fail. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/D115BF4B-9160-4D66-B870-064DE89EF884%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: Studs for Winter Riding?
On Sunday, December 3, 2023 at 7:34:32 PM UTC-6 John Rinker wrote: Do any of you fine folks with more experience in such matters than me have any recommendations for studded tires for my Hunq? As Andy said, winter conditions are like craft cocktails! And, as a result, what works in some conditions might be terrible in others. For me, those conditions regularly varied between my morning ride to work and my evening ride home. Others have covered the broad range, but I will add one point. I found that 2.1" Marathon tires were deadly in slush. They had just enough float that at any speed above walking pace the front would float up off the underlying pavement or ice/snow pack, and the traction then would match the mythical frictionless surface of physics. With all the salt that is used on roads here, temps can be pretty well below freezing and we still have mostly slush, so I found that skinnier tires worked much better. Unfortunately, that means that when dealing with frozen ruts, there's a lot more bone shaking going on. Nokian W106 (700x35) on my Quickbeam were the best combo I ever used for commuting in Milwaukee. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/32778984-ef55-438d-8e97-3c4317996130n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: 90-year-old cyclist: remarkable video
My fondest wish is to be that guy in 30 years. We share the same birthday, so it's a start! Guys I rode with in college did a semester in Pau. They came back with stories of riding with a local club into the Pyrenees. They described the riders as "old mountain goats who tore off our legs and lungs." My friends were hard core xc skiers in college, and they had a hard time keeping up with old French guys. Side note - that "route profile" at the bottom of the YouTube video is a histogram showing the relative amount of viewing time of each segment ... sort of a "popularity" measure of the segments. I like Andy's suggestion, though, that it's a metaphor for a person's life. Plenty of ups and downs. My cycling goals that I set for 2023 were "Ride a lot. Enjoy it all." I didn't quite get to "a lot", but I can say I enjoyed it all. Lovely film! Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8e400262-1bf1-4728-a858-4b2cc7d64d8fn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: "Grant hates toe clips."
On Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 7:44:43 PM UTC-6 Patrick Moore wrote: But I'm curious how many on this RBW list like and use retention and how many don't; and of the former, how many use toe clips and how many use clipless systems -- and what kind. I started riding bikes in 1968. In 1978 I got my first pair of Detto Pietro shoes. I've been through cleats, Avocets, SPD, MKS Mapstage, Time ATAC, Egg Beater, and now I almost exclusively ride in sneakers (Lems) on flat pedals (mostly Riv's Clem pedals). The most efficient "directly attached to the rear wheel" system I ever felt was a pair of Delrin cleats that Pino Morroni machined for Grant. They snapped perfectly into Campy NR pedals, and you didn't even need a strap unless you really pulled straight up on them. All the systems that "float" were absolutely terrible for me. My heels would rotate to the float limits, creating a large amount of rotational strain on my knees. I found Egg Beaters with zero float cleats to be the best for my needs, and I still have them on my Riv Road, which is set up for fast group riding. Also, like Wesley, my wife and I find cleated pedals to be very important on the tandem - no more feet flying off the pedals at inopportune moments. I liked having cleated pedals and shoes for the short downtown part of my commute, where I would often need to accelerate hard to keep up with the traffic flow. Since I retired I haven't had a single time when I've been clipless (meaning no binding system at all!) that I have wished for something holding my feet to the pedals. On the contrary, I am finding that my feet, ankles, knees, and hips are much, much happier, especially on long rides. I love being able to shift my feet forward and back, sometimes on the ball, sometimes the arch, depending on the terrain and the level of effort. My father-in-law started doing some more recreational biking in his retirement. The shop that sold him a new bike insisted he needed toe clips and straps. At an intersection with some sand on the pavement (April in Wisconsin!) he used his front brake and went down. In trying to pull his foot from the pedal he very badly tore up the ligaments in his knee. Needless to say, when he got back on the bike the next year, I had tossed the clips and straps. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/29f3d2b1-5fd6-45e5-8f82-758bec1a44fan%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] "Grant hates toe clips."
On Monday, December 25, 2023 at 2:02:38 PM UTC-6 Patrick Moore wrote: If I ever build a dedicated shopping bike I think I'll try no-retention again, but this time without pinned pedals; it was the pins that annoyed me when I tried platforms a couple of years ago because they were always holding the shoe (and I bought a nice pair of platform cycling shoes) in the wrong places and made it hard to shift the soles to the right places. That's one of the reasons I love the Clem pedals ... plastic bodies, no pins, but the grip with the sneakers I wear is quite good. One of the things I took away from the Pino setup was the importance of matching shoes and pedals together. Even with cleat and binding systems, some shoes work better than others with a given system. Crank Brothers got pretty smart about that, creating a system of shims and spacers to optimize the fit. Binding-less pedals also have to be matched with compatible shoes. I've experienced a similar issue as Patrick, where the pins on a pedal don't line up nicely with the bottom of a shoe, and spent the whole ride trying to find a comfortable foot placement. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c62f5dd7-de90-441e-8dc4-5f8a16bd508fn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] "Grant hates toe clips."
> On Dec 25, 2023, at 4:41 PM, Bernard Duhon wrote: > > > Less leg extension, so lower your saddle, there is more toe overlap and > finally slightly different muscles are used. I found the same. I lowered my saddle height both for slightly less shoe+pedal stack height and for foot positioning. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/B9A2B3A7-347B-4679-84BA-D28143F0CB84%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: ROADINI in South Pasadena
On Sunday, December 31, 2023 at 5:21:42 PM UTC-6 Neale S. wrote: 👋 from Glassell Park, hope to see you out there. Sounds like we need another L.A. Riv Ride soon. I will be in San Gabriel 2/11-2/17 and my West Coast Sam would enjoy meeting some relatives. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b195e9b-8a3d-4248-979d-d182dc827336n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: ROADINI in South Pasadena
On Monday, January 1, 2024 at 11:38:19 PM UTC-6 Tony Lockhart wrote: @Ted - Glad you'll be in town soon. Hoping you can carve out some time for a group ride. You mentioned that your daughter has a Riv, right? I have a Sam Hillborne in her garage. And a Space Horse (which could be for sale if anyone is interested). She has a Trek 310 (Reynolds 531 main tubes!). Looking forward to hopefully seeing a few people there. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0d316f89-1979-49a3-a41e-2e93b9565649n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Los Angeles Riv Ride
> On Jan 6, 2024, at 9:05 PM, Tony Lockhart wrote: > > Looks like we’re going to have a great turnout. Anybody good at mapping out > routes? > > There’s an event at The Rose Bowl on the 17th, but I’m sure there’ll be > parking near the Aquatic Center (for folks driving in). The Zoo/Autry lot > will have plenty of parking as well. Both locations are right off the > freeway. I can make the 17th, but it’s my last day that visit, and I would prefer to keep some time for my family. I will be in San Gabriel, so would prefer to ride in the San Gabriel valley vicinity. I’ve had a few good rides in Cherry Canyon. The Cub House is a fun and funky bike shop in San Marino, near South Pasadena. They do builds for Rivendell, and it’s where West Coast Sam came to life. There is a fantastic pizza place across the street. Street parking seems to be generally available in the area, though I always bike there from my daughter’s place. The road ride to Cherry Canyon from there is nice, going across South Pas then up Arroyo to the Rose Bowl, then up into the hills along the amazing houses of Berkshire Ave. I tend to return back down Lida, past the ArtCenter College of Design. Lots and lots of up and down. Just one option, but I could also get over to the Griffith Park area, and I’d always love to find new routes. I’ve also ridden some around Griffith Park and loved it. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CC4A7095-5ABD-41F7-8111-6750D0C60EE2%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: Why do some bikes just feel consistently faster?
Not to be overly contrarian, but ... Planing is a terrible word for the phenomenon in question, which is when the flex characteristics of the bike are such that the energy stored in deformation (of the frame and all the attached parts) is efficiently returned to power the rear wheel during the lower power part of the pedaling cycle. When a boat planes, it rises out of the water, resulting in a large reduction in coefficient of drag. The equivalent on a bicycle would be the development of a vacuum around the bike and rider at a certain speed. That would be fun, but it's certainly not what's happening on earth. Ironically, there is a well-known and used term in Jan's back yard, for the exact phenomenon he is trying to describe. Rowers have long used the word "swing" to describe a shell and oars whose flex characteristics synchronize well with their strokes, allowing them to go faster for a given power output. Jan claims that bikes that "plane" magically increase a rider's power output, but the reality is that bikes that swing well waste less of the rider's power. A better way to put it might be that such a bike puts more of the rider's power to the back wheel. The flex characteristics of the frame are important, of course, but the entire bicycle (and its rider) is a system of springs and in such a system the softer springs affect flex first, with the stiffer springs becoming more relevant as the forces increase. For most of us on this list, we don't spend a lot of time putting enough power into the pedals to get to the point where frame flexibility is significantly tested. At 57kg, I can tell you that I rarely put out that kind of power. I have a brevet bike made of .7/.4/.7 standard diameter tubing, and I can make that frame flex, but not for very long. That bike rides on 42mm tires at about 33 psi, and the tires are definitely the soft springs in that system. I don't attribute aluminum, or stiffer frames in general, to an increased focus on cadence. Track cyclists have always been obsessed with cadence. With the introduction of multiple gear systems for road biking came the opportunity to develop notions of "ideal" cadence. Note that when Jan talks about frames "planing" for him, he almost always talks about it working for his preferred cadence. Stiff frames, in fact, reduce the importance of cadence, as they reduce the contribution of the frame to swing (for a given power input). For me, cadence is only important when going uphill or into a headwind. It is important because I need enough momentum in my feet to keep a steady speed. Without that momentum, I am repeatedly accelerating during the power phase and decelerating during the non-power phase. That is terribly inefficient. And that is why, as discussed in the recent thread on gearing, it is so important to have low gears in steep hills. Long before aluminum frames were a twinkle in Gary Klein's eyes, cyclists talked about "staying on top of a gear" when climbing. It meant to maintain a fast enough cadence that you were pedaling smoothly, maintaining a constant speed. Cyclists have also long talked about using smaller gears and a higher cadence to "work your heart, not your legs." So, I also don't have _the_ answer to why some bikes seem/feel/are faster than others. Many of my best Strava times on climbing segments and my best 100km time are on my Heron prototype, which is a road frame but has the heavy rear stays from the touring frame. You can feel the weight of the stays (and the weight of the old SunTour freewheel) when you pick up the bike. Maybe it's just that I have so much invested in that bike that it inspires me to push a little harder. I tend to believe Jan's hypothesis that stiffness in the downtube and chainstays and flex in the top tube, relative to each other, help a bike swing in a way that returns energy to the rear wheel. Interestingly, old Reynolds tube sets were always spec'd that way, with thinner walls in the top tube than in the down tube. Somewhere along the way they switched to the Columbus standard, where top tube and down tube walls are the same. The Heron Road bikes have .1mm thinner top tube walls than down tube, and my prototype has extra heavy stays, so there you go. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7796a273-c889-4e29-8470-02f681ae3e07n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Why do some bikes just feel consistently faster?
On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 10:15:31 AM UTC-5 I wrote: The Heron Road bikes have .1mm thinner top tube walls than down tube, and my prototype has extra heavy stays, so there you go. A bit more on this, just for fun. I had Waterford build an ST-22 that is in many ways a duplicate of the Heron Road. However, it has a lighter top tube (.7/.4/.7 vs .8/.5/.8), a lighter down tube (.65/.45/.65 vs .9/.6/.9), and lighter chain stays (30x17 oval tapering to 12.5mm, 0.8 wall, vs 22.2 round tapering to 12, probably 1.0 wall). I find the Heron to be a nicer ride. BUT, there are a couple of other critical differences. Both bikes use the Heron round blade fork crown, but the ST22 has slightly longer (bit more rake, bit more clearance) but stiffer (1.2mm vs 1.0mm wall at the tips) blades. In addition, the ST22 fork has beefy fork ends for the SON SL connectors, and a Schmidt SON hub. Also, the ST22 rides on DT TK540 rims, compared to Mavic MA2 on the Heron. Someday I'll put the Heron's wheels on the ST22 and see how that changes things; I expect it will change a lot. Don't underestimate the importance of the fork to the feel and handling of a bike. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/eceb8d63-9494-44d9-b412-826dae4528aen%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Why do some bikes just feel consistently faster?
> On Jan 9, 2024, at 12:40 PM, Ron Mc wrote: > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxxhoKVVCvg > > I don't know how to embed this, or whether good will embed it, but the > youtube link is the mode shape that produces planing from the rear triangles. > > That appears to be two dimensional in the plane of the frame, which wouldn’t represent what Jan Heine has described as his planing hypothesis. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7E0228F8-BC0E-4D80-9A43-FDE5E8E47810%40gmail.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Los Angeles Riv Ride
hat a great location. My daughter and I were attending the 626 event and happened upon the grounds. Will definitely go back there with the rest of the family in the future. BTW, your Atlantis looks dialed in. Really love the handlebar setup, and will probably go that route once the Roaduno frames come out.On Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 2:03:38 PM UTC-7 cycli...@gmail.com wrote:Griffith Park would be doable for me 20th or 27th. David Black & Tan SamThousand OaksOn Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 11:54:53 AM UTC-7 dwyer...@gmail.com wrote:Hi all –– Atlantis rider in the Pomona Valley here. I could likely make the 20th or the 27th, with a preference for the 27th.Tony: I think that was my Atlantis you saw! I'd guess that was your parked orange Riv at the Palomares Adobe that I saw too. What a coincidence!The Mt. Hollywood route is definitely a climb but it has some great payoff! I usually just take a break or two on my way up.On Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 9:00:35 PM UTC-7 Tony Lockhart wrote:I can make it on the 13th or 27th. Also, I teach for a living so the schedule's wide open during the summer.On Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 10:21:18 AM UTC-7 Keith P. wrote:I am available on the 13th, but might be flexible on the 20thk.On Apr 25, 2023, at 9:35 AM, Brian Cunningham <thisisbria...@gmail.com> wrote:Of those 3 dates, I’m only available on the 27th, but my tricky schedule is not everyone else’s problem. I’ll join you if that ends up being the best date for all parties involved.Brian Sent from my iPhoneOn Apr 25, 2023, at 8:10 AM, Houston Wilson <hwi...@smprep.org> wrote:Yay, I'm loving hearing from y'all!1. Anyone have a preference for May 13th, 20th, or 27th?2. Regarding the route, it seems like most folks are out east, so Griffith seems like the best option. Ted D.--point taken about Griffith + Hollywood sign not being very chill. So, probably best to just stick to griffith, but if anyone wants to ride to the Hollywood sign after, I'd be super down! So, I'm thinking meet by the Greek and do a little loop up to Vista del Valle and around to the Observatory. This would be about 8 mi with ~1000 ft. of elevation. I don't ride in griffith a ton, so if anyone has route suggestions/food spots to hit up before/after...please share haha! On Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 7:24:40 AM UTC-7 Bryan wrote:Hi! I might be able to make it, schedule permitting. Sounds fun!Bryan Edgar Valley VillageOn Monday, April 24, 2023 at 9:18:43 PM UTC-7 Tony Lockhart wrote:Count me in. I'm in South Pasadena (orange Hillborne bought in 2009). Haven't browsed this forum in a few years, but decided to check in because I wanted to go on a group ride. Oddly enough, I saw a parked Atlantis at the 626 Golden Streets event yesterday. Seems like the perfect time to meet up with some other folks, especially since some of the newer Rivs look drastically different.Cheers,TonyOn Monday, April 24, 2023 at 11:08:22 AM UTC-7 bunny...@gmail.com wrote:Hey all!I will be out of the country for about two weeks in MAY, but would love to join if I am in town. By no means should the scheduling be done around my availability.Cheers!BenOn Monday, April 24, 2023 at 10:34:17 AM UTC-7 Keith P. wrote:I remember Ben/bunnyadrian planning a local ride last year.Has he seen this yet?On Monday, April 24, 2023 at 10:17:19 AM UTC-7 Ted Durant wrote:On Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 4:40:12 PM UTC-5 Houston Wilson wrote:Depending on where most folks are located, I think it could be cool to do the Will Rogers inspiration loop in the Western Santa Monica's or a Griffith Park/Hollywood Sign moment. Regardless, it'd be a chill pace with a cafe stop or two thrown in. I don't think I'm going to make it out that way in May. In fact, my LA daughter is planning to come here for a week. I'll watch the thread with interest, though. As for the route ... I can't imagine Griffith Park/Hollywood Sign being a very "chill" ride - that's a lot of climbing! But it's beautiful and fun.Ted DurantMilwaukee, WI (and occasionally Alhambra, CA) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/35M5DJNeuTc/unsubscribe. To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/73aeb1a2-edf3-4ac3-92d2-0844553c9dc0n%40googlegroups.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/AD232A60-CB0E-42A6-8284-4F370DFCFD1
Re: [RBW] Re: Los Angeles Riv Ride
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 12:37:13 PM UTC-8 Brian Cunningham wrote: If the plan is to meet up at Allez LA, and the plan is also to be strictly road, I enjoy riding east on York until it becomes Monterey Road in South Pas east of the 110, jogging north a block to the bike lane on El Centro, taking it 'til it ends, hanging a quick left and then immediate right on Mission, which gives you another bike lane and one that passes another Riv-friendly bike shop The Cub House. If you were to head back south to Monterey after that and head east you get the sort of smoothly paved roads that only a tiny and rich city like San Marino can manage. And then from there you can nearly get to Sierra Madre Blvd, which if you head north on, it will curve past Pasadena High and eventually lead you into Sierra Madre with a decent but gradual elevation change. Once you get to Sierra Madre you've got a good cafe stop at Syndicate. From my place in Glendale this is about a 34 mile round trip with about 1100 ft elevation gain but from Allez I'd guess closer to 25 miles. This is my default ride when I want to get some road miles in and the weather is mild enough that the coastal breezes are not a factor. I can confirm most of that, as I ride a similar loop frequently. Several of the roads are on Chuck Schmidt's monthly Velo Retro Rose Bowl ride. From Sierra Madre that ride comes back to the Rose Bowl via Paloma and Mountain. >From the Rose Bowl, you can head south on Arroyo (a lovely ride!) and pick up Monterey/York back to Allez LA. I just did a quick RWGPS check and that route, including one lap of the Rose Bowl, is 43km/27mi, with a bit less than 1000' of climbing, none of it especially steep. In addition to Syndicate in Sierra Madre, there is excellent pizza and a cafe across the street from Cub House. I may be time limited, as it's my last day here and I shouldn't abandon my family entirely. I can cut it short, though, and not do the full loop. If the group wants some non-technical dirt there's always some Griffith Park fire roads we can do instead. Those turns I know better from visual memory than I could adequately describe here. I've only been there once, so can't help lay out a route. Anybody know the conditions of the roads after the rains? If the group wants to experience the LA River Bike Path, please be aware that it is closed north of Los Feliz Blvd this month for some repairs. I'm not so big a fan of the river bike paths, other than a way to get from one part of the city to another. No shade, not much scenery. And yesterday I got screwed by one of them being closed unexpectedly. Had to hop a fence to get out and avoid backtracking a few miles. Ted Durant -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fa008f0c-33b0-473a-8cba-afad00ed45cen%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Los Angeles Riv Ride
> On Feb 14, 2024, at 1:30 PM, Brian Cunningham > wrote: > > Funny you should mention Chuck's ride, Ted. I believe I met you a couple > years ago when you happened upon the ride and I was on my (now former, a > little too French fit) blue Rambouillet. The Sierra Madre loop I have > developed borrows somewhat from that ride but subtracts some turn and the > climb into Sierra Madre that I favor is longer and more gradual. > Ha! That was you! Yup, I was on the maiden voyage of a Space Horse that I’d bought for my “when I’m in LA” bike. Nice enough bike, but now that I have a Sam Hillborne here, the Space Horse isn’t getting much love. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/10B23847-3F62-49F4-8E32-A5B18EA7B7A5%40gmail.com.
Re: [RBW] Los Angeles Riv Ride
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 10:57:53 PM UTC-8 Tony Lockhart wrote: Happy to see that this is all coming together. Seems like a 7:45 to 8:00 roll out would be ideal, and the route possibilities above are prefect. Here's a screenshot of the map starting at Allez LA; folks driving in can find tons of parking on Meridian and Stradford. How about 7:45-8:00 arrival at Allez LA, 8:15 rollout. Then I suggest we do the route the other direction from my previous suggestion, going up around the Rose Bowl then across to Sierra Madre, stop for coffee/tea/pastries in Sierra Madre, then return via the Cub House which, if we are reasonably relaxed about the pace, should be open by the time we are there. If that works for people, I will post a RideWithGPS route. Off topic, but anyone know if the Velo Retro rides are still happening? I remember coming across Chuck around 2008ish at Buster's Coffee shop in South Pas (currently called Jones Coffee Roasters). Super nice guy, and always on an amazing bike. In fact, seeing him ride in Birkenstocks resonated with me. Indeed the ride is still happening, first Sunday of every month, though alas poor Chuck hasn't been able to ride a bike for a while. My last meet up with him was in fact at Jones Coffee Roasters. He still likes to hang out there. Ted Durant -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/581b9217-4a93-41da-9c8f-db78c72a71bcn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Intro post, pics of my RIvs, and a Homer fit question
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 1:20:53 PM UTC-8 eitanz...@gmail.com wrote: That said, as beautiful as this bike is, I haven't been able to get comfortable on it. I am too stretched out. Yup, that is a beautiful bike! I know the feeling of being too stretched out, even as someone who is naturally quite flexible and likes to ride in a pretty low back position. My Sams are set up with a shorter reach than my other bikes and I have found I like it. Contrary to the others and to "conventional wisdom", I have not found saddle fore-aft position to be so critical that I have to nail it to the mm. I am comfortable and feel similarly powerful over a range of 15-20mm. My Sams have much shallower seat tube angles than my other bikes, and I have the saddles pushed forward a bit, but not a lot. Like a couple of other posters, I wouldn't hesitate to go to an 8 or even 7cm stem to get the reach that you like. I use my personal cubit to judge reach - put your elbow against the front of the saddle and see where your finger tips lie relative to the handlebars. Most my bikes have the bars about 20mm ahead of my fingers. On my Sams my fingers just touch the bars. As others have pointed out, Noodle bars have a pretty good reach. In addition, the TRP brake lever hoods are looong. The combined effect is quite a bit of extra reach. I very much like having lots of reach and drop on the bars so my position varies a lot as I move my hands. But it does mean you need a shorter stem so the on-the-hoods position feels neutral. Ted Durant -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7bde1bc9-aa16-42cb-86fd-9c8ec7368cffn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Los Angeles Riv Ride
Ride With GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45602857 Ted Durant -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fe8b0022-8d5f-42d4-9a5c-007ba6e90d2fn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Using Your Rivendell Vs. Being Precious: A Spectrum
On Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 5:15:18 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: > Where are you on the spectrum? What words of wisdom might you have? What > strategies do you employ? Do you want to change? Or are you > unapologetically staying put on the matter? It might be fun to hear > perspectives. > > I'm in the "lucky to be able to afford several bikes for lots of different purposes" camp. I don't obsess over them as precious objects - none of them are "collector" bikes that will make my kids millionaires. I do, however, like to keep them clean and well maintained. (Chain waxing is easy and therapeutic.) My wife and I gave each other a Santana tandem for our wedding and rode it around Vermont for our honeymoon. Over the years of riding, carrying it in or on the car, putting the kid converter on it, getting hit by a car while towing our infant daughter in a Burley trailer (!!!), it gathered its fair share of beausage. For our 30th wedding anniversary we gave it a fresh paint job in Waterford French Blue and a bunch of new parts. It's doing lighter duty, now, and staying pretty. That's the thing about steel-framed bikes, right? You can have it both ways over time. My Rivendell Road just had a visit to the chiropractor. A week ago a low-flying hawk took my front wheel out from under me. The scratches will remain, but it's sure nice to have the frame straight again. Another 25 years and maybe I'll get it painted again, but I'll keep the Joe Bell paint on there as long as I can. My "errand" bike (complete with twin-leg kickstand, but no plate!) is a custom Terraferma designed originally for brevets. The geometry is perfect for carrying a bunch of stuff in the basket on the front. I keep it reasonably clean, but it lives in the garage and is going to be riding on salty streets soon. This thread could easily occur on a Porsche mailing list, too. My Boxster is definitely not "precious"! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/70d22d29-2d62-48c4-9487-a6180d550cf4n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: What epoch of Rivster are you?
On Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at 6:55:34 PM UTC-5 Philip Williamson wrote: > Which era do you identify with the most, or like the best? > I'm not sure how I missed this thread! The Bridgestone XO-1 is where it began for me, and I happily teamed up with Grant to help Rivendell get started and then Rona Components, Willow, and Heron. I've had a Rivendell ATB (Waterford, early on), Riv Road (Joe built), a few Herons, a Quickbeam, a Bleriot, and a Cheviot. And my wife has a Glorius. I definitely associate more with the earlier designs, and the original prototype Heron Road and Riv Road are still here. I've evolved more along the lines of Jan Heine, preferring classic road bike designs and riding position, with big tires. I never warmed up to the Cheviot though I tried a slew of handlebars. I sold the ATB and the Bleriot here a couple of years ago. The type of riding I do is largely dictated by where I live, with lots of dairyland roads that are mostly well paved. I don't have mountains or many gravel roads within 100 miles. There are some mountain bike trails in the vicinity, but I'm not willing to drive an hour each way to go for a bike ride - I'd rather spend those 2 hours riding! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0bb5b908-212f-43f5-a104-290f293e6416n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: saddle angle and lower back pain
On Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 5:05:37 PM UTC-6 brok...@gmail.com wrote: > So this leads me to question the whole upwards tilt thing as it relates to > these types of Riv models and how folks ride them. I know everyone is > different, and there's always going to be those who prefer upward tilts, > downward tilts, extreme fore / aft, etc. but what exactly is it, > physiologically speaking, that skews towards the preference for the upward > saddle tilt for an upright riding position? > As you say, everyone is different. I have a couple of compression fractures, T8 and T12, and a history of some low back pain. My experience has been 1) I very much prefer saddles with a dip from the nose to the tail, though I wouldn't describe it as a banana curve; 2) the more upright the riding position, the more I want the nose tilted upward; 3) if it feels like you are constantly having to push yourself back on the saddle, tilt the nose up a bit; 4) a little change makes a big difference; 5) pelvic angle is really important, and saddle height, saddle fore-aft, and handlebar distance are all tightly connected with saddle tilt to define the comfort and efficiency of your position; 6) core strength is hugely important; and 7) the right fit is very dependent on how much power you are generating while riding. When it's set up correctly, I feel better on the bike than I do off the bike. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e022b0a8-cce1-4de3-8696-22f6f509be65n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: saddle angle and lower back pain
On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 2:20:50 PM UTC-6 brok...@gmail.com wrote: > I suppose I didn't expect the rubber Brooks Cambium vs. a leather Brooks > (or other similar brand leather saddle) could be making the difference > here, but that's a good point. > I would expect a difference between Cambium and leather. The Cambium has a different shape, with none of the drop that the leather Brooks saddles have. On a Brooks B17 (or other leather) saddle, even with a moderate amount of nose-up tillt, the rear of the saddle is still level or even angled down-forward. On a Cambium, any nose-up tilt also has the rear of the saddle tilted up. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d05c1445-9641-488a-821d-9b2a7dffc073n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: saddle angle and lower back pain
On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 2:50:35 PM UTC-6 Mackenzy Albright posted a photo of his Riv with a Cambium saddle Interesting - from that angle it looks like the Cambium has some dip to it. All the other photos I've seen make it look like it runs straight along the top from nose to tail. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cd7b9591-8855-4a0a-93c3-b0e4ee2ec872n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: saddle angle and lower back pain
On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7:21:55 AM UTC-6 ascpgh wrote: > If I find the actual fore and aft dimension of my sit bone movement and > the place it occurs on the saddle I discovered that all of my over thought > adjustments are almost always such that this range of motion always ends up > level, independant of the rest of the saddle's resultant attitude. > Yes! I hadn't thought about that before, but as I was doing a 60-mile ride yesterday I realized the same thing. My preferred tilt of a saddle puts the low spot in the center of the fore-aft range where I ride, typically pushed back a bit going up hills. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cf7f2578-45b9-48ba-9a73-dee32cda01f5n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] SunTour Rachet Bar Ends shifting a Modern RD - Need to Trim??
On Sunday, November 27, 2022 at 8:43:17 PM UTC-6 Scott wrote: > Your research task: find out how much RD moves with each ratchet of your > 1975s. Then you'll be able to better assess compatibility with different > cassettes of any maker/speed, as long as you get the respective cog > spacing. > I spent an inordinate amount of time on this topic and put together a spreadsheet (naturally). I found 25 clicks on my SunTour BarCons, and 25mm of total cable pull, so each click is 1.0mm. Rear derailer ratio, the amount of horizontal movement per mm of cable movement, varies pretty widely, from 1.1 (Shimano 11 mtn, SRAM 7-9 Mtn) (I did this before 12 and 13 speed...) to 1.90 (SunTour). The SunTour BarCon has a pretty small barrel, and 25mm isn't enough cable pull for a low-ratio derailer across a large number of cogs. For example, a Shimano 11-speed MTB derailer needs 36mm of cable pull. If you want to dial it in, a Campy newer 9-speed derailer with a matching cassette needs 3.03mm of cable pull (3 BarCon clicks) for each cog. Or, combine a Shimano 10 or 11 speed derailer with a SunTour freewheel and you'll use right around 2mm (2 clicks) per cog. There aren't many combo's that line up with even 1 mm clicks. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/df03872d-8821-4ec0-b65a-e87fa42a73e9n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] SunTour Rachet Bar Ends shifting a Modern RD - Need to Trim??
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 11:54:11 AM UTC-6 Scott wrote: > ... It appears RD ratio is a critical variable that really deepens the > analysis one would have to do bench top to get a feel for how a certain > combo of bits would work in theory before trying. Personally, I think I'd > be more inclined to just install the bits and see how they work before > undergoing that much analysis, but it's educational to at least better > understand how bits function together and the interplay between different > parts of a system. > Exactly! It's not like I used a super-accurate digital measuring device to come up with the numbers. When you're talking .1 mm, you can understand why it's hard to make a cable-shifting indexed system work reliably on tightly packed gears. I was able to confirm on the road my spreadsheet prediction that a Shimano 9-speed lever can work with a SunTour rear derailer and a Shimano 8-speed cassette. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f0ec30b6-e684-4637-a39d-c92a9ef64168n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] SunTour Rachet Bar Ends shifting a Modern RD - Need to Trim??
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 2:36:34 PM UTC-6 John Hawrylak wrote: > Did you measure the RD ratio's or are they a published value somewhere?? > I have seen some published, but my memory is that I measured them from the total distance between cogs and the total amount of cable pulled. > Do you happen to know the ratio for a Shimano Deore M-591-SGS?? I have > this with a Shimano 9sp road cassette (4.34mm cog spacing). > Classic Shimano 6-7-8-9 (and 10 Road) derailers are 1.72. > The RD ratio would have to greater than 1.39 for the SunTour barcon 25mm > travel to shift the 8 cog spacings on the 9 speed cassette (8 * 4.34)/25 > = 1.39 > Well, I have Shimano 9 at 4.35, not 4.34, but otherwise I concur :-) My spreadsheet says you need 20.2mm of cable pull to shift a Shimano 9-sp derailer across a Shimano 9-sp cog set, so BarCons should have plenty of capacity. Just don't try to put a SRAM road derailer on that setup - you'll be a couple mm short. Newer derailers are using lower actuation ratios so that more cable pull is required for each shift, so that there is more room for error. So, any derailer that pre-dates the 11-speed era, other than SRAM "Exact Actuation" will probably be a good match with BarCons. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9a74b190-2375-434f-8fb6-cc30c9b27cb8n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Derailleur precision and wear characteristics for 11+ speed systems
On Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 11:12:00 AM UTC-6 Patrick Moore wrote: > So, question: Is it generally true that above 10 speeds or perhaps 11 > cable systems don't work very well, or at least, shifting quality degrades > quickly compared to systems with fewer cogs and wider tolerances? > My experience with 11 speed so far (SRAM Force brifters, derailer, and cog, with a few different chains) is about 10k km, in not terribly challenging environmental conditions. The biggest detractor to shifting performance has been chain wear. The SRAM 11sp chain I first used wore very quickly (as in a few thousand km) and it really degraded the shifting. Subsequent YBN chain seems to be wearing better. I just bought a new one and cleaned it and bathed it in Silca super secret wax, so we'll see what that does for longevity. It certainly makes it clean and quiet, once the initial excess is worn off. I have not experienced any issues with cables getting full of junk, even after a lengthy 2-day session on crushed gravel trails. I also have a recent experience with a Campy 9-speed setup. I had a hawk take me out by trying to fly between my front wheel and frame. I went down on my right side and bent the derailer hanger a bit. Let me tell you, that sure ruined the indexing! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/63a1ad19-31e2-4739-9c9c-53f9f6d5da89n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Derailleur precision and wear characteristics for 11+ speed systems
On Monday, December 5, 2022 at 1:46:25 PM UTC-6 Patrick Moore wrote: > Ben and Ted: So 11+ does not require electricity. Thanks, good to know, > even if only for academic reasons. > My experience with SRAM 11 speed has been good. SRAM was the first to advertise a lower actuation ratio - "Exact Actuation" - which increases the amount of cable pull for a given amount of derailer travel. That allows more room for error in the cables. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/60ca12f1-5025-49bc-b44a-48d1e0d3de48n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Sharing Your Fall Foliage Fotos 2022
Beautiful! "Wicked Pissah” … I grew up in Cohasset … I know what that means. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA > On Dec 17, 2022, at 7:38 AM, Russell Duncan wrote: > > > > Fall colors of a different sort: native grassland, Flint Hills, Kansas. > Sorry, no actual Riv bike to show. I don’t own one, yet. Close, a Mercian, > but no cigar. I do buy bicycle parts and other stuff from Rivendell though, > including Possum and Wooly Warm clothing. I use it on and off the bike. > Wicked Pissah clothing for the back country in the winter. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/FF7C9C96-ECA8-44C7-AC25-9B82A3149F17%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: Sharing Your Winter Ride Fotos 2023
Sorry, guess I should have posted that to the First Ride of 2023 thread ! On Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 4:57:41 PM UTC-6 Ted Durant wrote: > Travel, severe respiratory infection (not COVID, flu, or RSV, thankfully), > and this is the best I can do for my first ride of 2023. I'll do better > soon, promise. > Ted Durant > The Cupboard Under The Stairs > Milwaukee, WI USA > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/891da475-7ee5-49c5-b85e-c840bc971e0fn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Sam Build - Wish Me Luck!
On Jan 14, 2023, at 7:37 AM, 'Slacky Mac' via RBW Owners Bunch < rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote: If Vince knew any better, he would have talked me out of it.I've never built a bike from (mostly) scratch before, and of course it had to be a Riv. Gutsy. There may be other less flattering words for it. Fun thread! Be sure to post more photos as it comes together! Normally I'm excited to build my own bikes, but I am having my new Sam and its parts shipped to The Cub House in San Marino, CA. The bike is going to live at my daughter's, about a mile from The Cub House, and I'm really pleased they'll do the build for me. Mine is Lime Olive and will feature plenty of little brass bits, along with the olive cable housing from SimWorks. Drop bar build, because that's how I roll. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/56cf5edc-de49-4898-9757-ae4a0394f0c7n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Sam Build - Wish Me Luck!
> On Jan 15, 2023, at 7:06 PM, 'Slacky Mac'> wrote: > > Ted - that beautiful Lime Olive color almost had be buying two Sams! Yours > will be really sharp with the brass. Please share some pics once done. > Hah! My other daughter lives in Maine and I have given some thought to building a silver Sam to keep at her house. :-) Sim.works has the Nissen housing, for those that are interested. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/30E490D4-2432-4D92-B5E7-4F2D22A6F307%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: Sam Build - Wish Me Luck!
On Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 6:17:20 PM UTC-6 jak...@me.com wrote: Keep in mind that the default (slacked cable position) is the low (first) gear, lining the pulleys up with the largest cog on the cassette. So when installing a new chain, even if you sized it right on the largest cogs and adding two links, you still have a wresting match on your hands when you thread it through the derailer pulleys as the darned thing does not want to move to the smaller cogs (providing slack) unless you grab the derailer and pull on it. I just install the derailer and cable and pull the derailer to the outermost position, then install the chain as I normally do, on the smallest cog and off the inner chainring. Checking chain length is pretty simple ... check the large/large combo and the small/small combo. If your rear derailer has enough wrap, pick the length where the small/small combo has just enough tension. If your rear derailer is maxed out for wrap (you're pretty close here), you have to compromise, and either make it long enough for the large/large combo to work or short enough for small/small, or in between the two and avoid those gears. The consequences of shifting into the large/large with too short a chain can be pretty severe ... tearing off your rear derailer ... so often it's best to make the chain longer and not use the small/small combos (or ignore the rattling when you do). Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/00101b93-5ea7-4425-ac89-8f0c790ec837n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: New build: 1985 Bridgestone MB-2
On Monday, January 23, 2023 at 5:06:27 PM UTC-6 eric...@gmail.com wrote: Hi all — I just finished up a build, it's a 1985 Bridgestone MB-2. I have a full build video up over here: https://youtu.be/gJPnbpzjbKg Wow - labor of love! So much attention to detail. I love seeing people pour time and money into something with no expectation for "getting their money out of it" at the end. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7ebcd565-1f06-4aa1-a7f6-b33e4fd70ec7n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Sharing Your Winter Ride Fotos 2023
> On Jan 30, 2023, at 8:22 AM, Takashi wrote: > > Ted, now THAT's a winter ride foto! That white road looks like inviting the > cyclist to ride as far as possible. Unfortunately, it was just a short trail … and I’m sure the skiers were happy for me not to be on it much. We received another 15cm of snow after that, so I think my tracks were covered. > Matti, oh, another happy new Sam rider! That green color, along with shiny > fenders and a classy front bag, looks great. > Enjoy many miles on it! Agreed! I have a green Sam being built up in Los Angeles for me, and as much as I enjoy winter riding, I’m looking forward to getting to LA in March and enjoying my new Sam in some warmer weather :-) > We had some snowfall last night and today: Wow, such a beautiful valley! The snow bank your bike is in makes me think of the biggest problem I have with winter riding, which is that the roads get a lot narrower so the cars get closer. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/F9693585-E155-48EC-9EFC-92228E646039%40gmail.com.
[RBW] WTB: Brass Headset Spacers
Hi All - Working on my Lime Olive Sam build, I am trying to find a couple of 2mm brass 1" headset spacers. The usual retail options aren't available. Anybody have a couple they are willing to spare? Please contact me offline. Thanks! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b458ecc-b3a3-4ffe-95f6-fdecadb3a6a6n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: WTB: Brass Headset Spacers
On Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 8:52:41 PM UTC-6 I wrote: Working on my Lime Olive Sam build, I am trying to find a couple of 2mm brass 1" headset spacers. Thanks Joshua. RBW list is amazing. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ad32f8c0-daae-46ae-a464-aa977699ad4dn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Bikes For Sale: Craigslist, ebay, etc. Fall 2022 edition
On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 5:12:08 PM UTC-6 Joe Bernard wrote: On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 10:06:51 AM UTC-8 River Bailey wrote: Just saw this A. Homer Hilsen on craigslist in Chicago... https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/d/chicago-rivendell-homer-hilsen/7576294872.html Curious ... ad says, " just not using it as much as I thought I would". How much did they think they were going to use it in December in Chicago? Ted Durant Just up the road in Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1cbc7d2c-4980-4046-b1c6-e8d655f1b2aen%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: 650b Gravel Bikes?
On Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 3:47:34 PM UTC-5 George Schick wrote: There has been a lot of discussion about "gravel bikes" on this blog lately, but has there been any consideration given to a 650B gravel bike, so to speak? I have two Sam Hillbornes that are perfect gravel bikes and a Breadwinner G-Road, all three are 650B. Virtually all of the bikes marketed as "gravel bikes" use disk brakes and are capable of running either 622 or 584 rims. Many of them advertise that as a feature and show clearance for fatter "27.5" tires than "29". At the high end of competition, though, it seems virtually everyone runs 622. My saddle height is around 700mm and for 42-52mm tires 584 rims require no compromise in frame dimensions. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ab0d5961-f42b-4849-8b4c-13b26ccbcb39n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Northern Hemisphere Summer Riding Photos 2023
On Friday, July 14, 2023 at 7:26:34 PM UTC+1 Patrick Moore wrote: I'd be delighted to see more photos of your tour. I should clarify ... I'm here for a week with 25 other family members, staying in Dingle for a week, not bike touring. I would definitely not come here for a bike tour without fenders!! Nevertheless, I hope to get at least one longish ride in, weather permitting. Funny, Constance of Lovely Bicycle described in one of her later posts after her move to Ireland (is it Northern Ireland in her case?) the discomfort of riding on a hot Irish summer day. She spoke of temperatures in the lower 60s F. At 60*F I'm wearing wool layers. Interesting you made that comment. My daughter who lives in LA arrived in Dublin a few days earlier, and she sent us a message that it was sunny and 60 and felt very hot. Something about the northern latitudes and humidity, I guess. Yes, when the sun comes out, the layers peel off quickly. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA (reporting from Dingle, Kerry, Ireland) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/96969d6d-edf9-4d0c-b974-4ff48f2e47ebn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Early 80's Specialized Sequoia
There have been a couple of mentions of early 80's Sequoias in the Roadini thread. I had one that replaced my crashed Fuji America. I believe Bike Nashbar was blowing them out. It was a noticeably heavy bike, but absolutely wonderful to ride and very pretty. Alas, it was stolen out of my West Philadelphia apartment. If anyone has or sees on available in my size (I think 54 or 56?), please let me know! I'll send a RONA t-shirt as a finder's fee :-) Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0df71244-d7f4-4826-b516-860623bc9051n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Early 80's Specialized Sequoia
On Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 11:57:41 AM UTC-4 Peter Bridge wrote: Did your noticeably heavy Sequoia perhaps have heavy wheels or thornproof tubes or a spring Brooks saddle or some such? I find Sequoias to be sportingly light. No, it was the stock parts that came with it. Fairly light wheels, Turbo tires. I would make the same statement about Heron #1, the prototype, which is a Road frame built with Touring stays at the rear. Both frames are a joy to ride. Interestingly, I read somewhere that the Sequoia was designed with a bit heavier down tube and chain stays. Recently I posted on a frame building forum a query about the ratio of stiffness among the frame tubes. If you look at older Reynolds tube set specs, they have .1mm thicker down tubes than top and seat. Or, if you like, their top and seat tube walls are .1mm thinner than the down tube. All other tube manufacturers, and even Reynolds now today, specify tube sets with equal wall thickness around the main triangle. It's also important to note that the down tube and seat tube were always 1/8" larger diameter than the top tube. Lately it seems steel builders have been experimenting away from that, but I haven't seen any discussion of why they would do that. For my Rivendell Road, for example, Grant spec'd the exact same tube for both top and down tubes. So, that goes the other direction, making the top tube exactly the same stiffness as the down tube. BUT, because the top tube is shorter than the down tube, there is less butted section remaining in the top tube. Anyway, my hypothesis is that the relative stiffness among the tubes has an effect on how the frame feels, and the a stiffer down tube and chain stays is what produced the "magic" feel of a Reynolds frame. Perhaps backing up this hypothesis is the "Spine" line of frames that Trek built, with steel or titanium down tubes and chain stays, and carbon tubes elsewhere. Their marketing touted the effect that had on the feel of the frame. A friend has the titanium one and he loves it. Sorry for the meandering detour. I just found the Specialized Sequoia frame to feel heavy when lifting, compared to some other steel frames. But I loved the way it rode. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cc501a98-d4a0-43d0-af8b-5b71905ca8cen%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Early 80's Specialized Sequoia
On Monday, July 24, 2023 at 11:09:06 PM UTC-4 John Dewey wrote: Just so y’all know, TD is kind of a local legend. He is, after all, one of Richard Schwinn’s best pals. Anyone who read Grant's Blahg entry on the closing of Waterford will know that Richard Schwinn has more best pals than just about anyone you can name. I happen to be lucky enough to live near him and his true best pal, his wife, Shoe. And I get to see them regularly at Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concerts. Regarding my Waterford keep your eyes out for the next issue of American Randonneur. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cc7803cf-bc31-4f73-9c2a-ea018abc63e9n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Club Rides On A Racing Platypus
On Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 8:12:31 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: I looked back and was astounded - there at the end of our peloton was an 8 year old girl on a tiny blue Trek bike, wearing her matching blue helmet, blonde hair flying and huge grin on full display. I looked at her father, helmetless and riding his own bike. He wore a look half proud and half sheepish. “This is Braelyn, and she’s been watching you go by every week,” he said. “And she’s been wanting to ride with you; she said, ‘Daddy, Tuesday night at 6:50 they’ll be here.’ And she got ready so she could join you tonight.” I looked at my speedometer…we were riding at over 17 mph. She moved up behind me and another woman fell in behind her. I LOVE this, but you know, Leah, this is a great burden on you. It's totally up to you to show that young girl that she doesn't have to be just like all the others. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/10c62558-8654-4d42-91c9-4d0552743c43n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: NBD: showing off, and questions
On Friday, August 4, 2023 at 4:39:24 PM UTC-5 rcook...@gmail.com wrote: The seller, who is a group member here, too, described the bike as an All-Rounder, and for the most part that's what it seems to be, though it may be more accurate to say it is a custom in the style of an All-Rounder—cantilever brakes, clearance for 2" tires, 26" wheels—but without the bosses or eyelets for a front rack present on the ARs I've seen. Super short fork rake suggests Riv ATB, and it looks like the BB drop is pretty shallow, too. But not as much top tube angle as I'd expect for an ATB. Head lugs match what were on my Riv ATB, built at Waterford around '96 or so. Also, my ATB had vertical dropouts, where this one has short horizontals. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fb7df7c3-5595-4ea2-9835-709833e9f2a3n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] A College Clem
On Friday, August 11, 2023 at 3:14:34 PM UTC-5 brok...@gmail.com wrote: I agree with Mackenzie’s point about swoopy top tube bikes not being taken seriously by most folks - regardless of whether or not they are “bike folks”. I Be that as it may, the bike that was stolen from me in college was a Schwinn Typhoon. I'd rescued it from the tunnels (a nice feature at a college in MN) and put whitewalls and shiny chrome fenders on it. Full disclosure, I think I forgot to lock it up that night. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7770bae4-3da0-4e56-91af-b15de30f0b61n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Alternatives to Snoqualmie Pass?
On Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 8:42:48 PM UTC-5 Adam wrote: Asking the timeless question: which tires should I buy for the Hillborne? I have had nothing but VERY positive experiences with Rene Herse tires and I don't think their prices are out of line with other options. I've been getting thousands of kilometers out of their tires with EL casings and no more punctures than expected, with the caveat that if you try to push the life too far the tread gets very thin and the punctures will start to come more often. My two Sams are 650B, one of them on Gravel King slicks and the other on Ultradynmico Cava JFF. I've ridden the Gravel Kings on mixed road/gravel/hiking trail, including some very hilly stuff, and I think they're pretty much the equivalent of standard or endurance casing RH. I've ridden the Cavas on dirt and pavement with some reasonably steep stuff and I don't like them nearly as much. Only a few hundred kms on each, so far, so can't say anything about the durability. None of them have any traction in mud. If that's an important issue, I'm a big fan of the tread on RH knobby tires, which I've been using in the winter on my Breadwinner G-Road. They're certainly not as silent as Jan would have you believe, but they're not slow. I don't think there is any component that has a bigger impact on how a bike feels than tires. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dfeede3c-445e-4cc1-b6c0-9754dcf2a55bn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Alternatives to Snoqualmie Pass?
On Friday, August 18, 2023 at 9:40:45 AM UTC-5 Ted Durant wrote: I have had nothing but VERY positive experiences with Rene Herse tires I should add that most of my experience is with tubes, but I have done tubeless with some RH EL and std casing tires, and I've gone back to using tubes. I found using sealant to be finicky and messy and more trouble than it's worth. Maybe that's 'cuz they were RH tires, but I found zero benefit from tubeless, living in a thorn-free part of the world. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8b883cde-2aea-43bd-af9b-1ba55681340cn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: FS: Dromarti leather cycling shoes
On Friday, August 18, 2023 at 7:10:21 PM UTC-5 dalin...@gmail.com wrote: ... They fit me like Shimano shoes. Would not advise guys with super wide feet to apply. I concur. As I've noted elsewhere, I've gone to wide "feet shaped" shoes and platforms. At the risk of hijacking the thread, I also have a pair of Dromarti shoes, black, size 43, available. And some Shimano XC5's, gray, 43. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e157aff8-fdc2-41f6-b0ff-993e7895e38an%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: FS: Dromarti leather cycling shoes
On Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 11:24:29 AM UTC-5 Ray Varella wrote: To further hijack this thread…Ted, have you found shoes to fit wide feet? I went from the Dromarti to Shimano XC5 (marginally wider than Dromarti) to Lake MX1 wide (definitely wider). I can wear the Lake shoes for rides that aren't too long (say 2 hours or less) and be reasonably comfortable. Of course, Lake has discontinued it. Lake seems to be the only company that has realized that a wider toe box is a selling point. The great thing about the Dromartis is they are real leather and will stretch to fit your foot. I was just finding that it wouldn't stretch enough to relieve the pressure on the bunionettes on my feet. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/186e8d97-4e21-42bd-a15d-b89e680e9a60n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Cycling shoes for wide feet?
On Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 3:30:12 PM UTC-5 eric...@gmail.com wrote: Are there any proper cycling shoes out there that accommodate serious width? Thanks for jumping to a new thread ... I probably should have done that, myself. Should we start with a definition of "proper cycling shoes" ? :-) I have found the proliferation of pedals with large platforms to help me rethink what I am looking for in a cycling shoe. Of course, that also corresponds with retirement and never doing rides on which I feel the need to have my feet securely attached to the pedals. On the contrary, I am finding that being able to shift my feet around is significantly improving foot comfort on longer rides. It also has been helping me subtly alter the pedaling dynamics which is recruiting different muscles, which also reduces fatigue on longer rides. I did a 200km ride Saturday and being able to change my foot position was very helpful. I think that it's not just having a wider toe box, but also a more flexible sole that's important to foot health on long outings. My "theory" is that stiff soles, which are great for shorter rides with higher power output, are more damaging in the long run because they don't require the muscles (and attachments) in your feet and ankles to perform their usual stabilization and support functions. I'm not a PT/OT/MD, though, so take that for what it's worth. Still, I appreciate the advantages of stiff soles and secure pedal connections. Unfortunately, I have yet to find cycling shoes that allow my forefoot to spread as much as it wants to, and the result has been painful bunionettes. My Lake MX-1 shoes, on their MX competition last, sadly discontinued, have been the best I've found. It also helps that they are tradition lace-up shoes. Well, helped ... apparently there's no market for that feature anymore. Top tip for checking shoe fit. Pull out the insoles and stand on them. You'll immediately see the difference between the shoe shape and your foot shape. It's kind of scary, though ... fair warning! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/532a4eca-b93c-4283-90f0-63b0381e0c5fn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Riv Rider Recipes
On Monday, August 21, 2023 at 9:41:11 AM UTC-5 coco...@gmail.com wrote: 2) I'd love to compile a collection of favorite recipes! What do you make for yourselves/your families? What's your favorite sandwich you bring on your bike rides? Any bike tour go-to's? choco-date-hazel-coco bombs: Dates Hazelnuts (roasted, salted if you like) Dark chocolate morsels Coconut flour Use equal measures (by weight) of chocolate, dates, and hazelnuts. In a food processor, start with the dates (be sure there are no pits!). When they're well chopped, add the hazelnuts and blend until you have a fairly moist ball. You want to release a bit of the oil from the hazelnuts, but not completely into a butter. Then add the chocolate and run it just long enough to blend in. It will be getting pretty warm at this point and you don't want to overheat the chocolate. Scoop out and form balls, whatever size you like, but I aim for something a bit smaller than a golf ball. Roll the ball in coconut flour and set aside to cool and harden. They stay remarkably solid even in a warm handlebar bag, but if you put them in a pocket you'll probably have a mess. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/6165198f-1548-43c3-952d-78c6a9b6d40an%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Cycling shoes for wide feet?
On Monday, August 28, 2023 at 8:08:28 PM UTC-5 Kurt Henry wrote: The first is a pair of 45 Lakes alongside a pair of size 11 Lems Primal Zen (?). Lems widest last (which these are) has a HUGE toe box, so keep that in mind. I love my Primal Zen shoes. They're my main biking shoes these days. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI 53217 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8309a622-52da-49f6-8411-58aa2a1d0970n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Babies on bikes
On Friday, September 1, 2023 at 9:58:35 PM UTC-5 Kushan wrote: Looking for wisdom and advice from the Riv community on riding bikes with babies on them. At what age did you start? What seats, trailers, etc did you use? Where did you ride? Mind you, this is 30+ years old ... we put our daughters in their car seats in our Burley trailer to start, about 1 year old. Got hit by a car once, luckily a very slow motion event, 90+ year old making a left turn from a 4-way stop pushed us into the curb. Nobody hurt, and I felt pretty good about the overall safety of the setup, but of course a higher speed incident would have been much different. We also used a rear rack mounted seat, but I never liked that setup; terrible balance and a much bigger distance to fall if the bike goes over. We rode lots of places around Milwaukee, using the bike path as much as possible, quieter public streets elsewhere. The trailer lasted well into childhood for our two daughters. Most important thing was that every ride had to be about the food. We still have it and are hoping our grandchildren will ride in it soon. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7da4d6e9-1f92-40f9-a69d-0aaba474a52an%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Babies on bikes
On Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 11:25:37 AM UTC-5 campyo...@me.com wrote: 2) wait until their neck muscles were strong enough to support both their head and the helmet. Well, we had our kids in a car seat (strapped into the Burley trailer) until they were truly strong enough to sit up, meaning they were toddlers at that point. So, in the car seat, they had plenty of head support and didn't seem to mind the helmet we had for them. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/78493646-1a03-4156-b69b-095d286479ccn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: upright bars: how does shorter or longer stem affect steering?
On Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 4:59:17 PM UTC-4 eddietheflay wrote: My current bike has Billie bars installed on a very tall adjustable stem. Effective top tube on this bike is 59.5cm. Reach to both the rear portion at the grips and front portion at the curves seems quite comfortable. But when steering from the grips things seem really twitchy. Wondering if a shorter top-tubed bike with a longer stem would make things more steady? My experience with a Quickbeam was similar - upright bars (Albatross) and using the ends of the bars made for a very quick, "twitchy", light steering feel. I attribute this to two factors. The first, and IMO more important one, is that my position on the bike was far more upright, resulting in much less weight on the front wheel. The second is that my hands were much farther from the steering axis. So, if a shorter top-tube and longer stem results in a) your position being the same, and b) moving your hands closer to the steering axis (which it would if on your current setup your hands at the ends of the bar are behind the steering axis) then I'd expect a slight reduction in twitchiness. I'd expect it to be maybe imperceptible, though, because the change in hand distance to steering axis will be tiny, as the bigger factor in that regard is the handlebar width. Hand distance from the steering axis does two things. First, it gives more leverage, so less effort is required to put an equal amount of force into turning the fork or (what's really important) changing the angle of the bike relative to the ground (or resisting other forces trying to change the angle to the ground). Second, the flip side of that, for a given amount of fork rotation (or body/bike/ground angle changes) your hands have to move a greater distance. It's worth noting, only because some things I've seen written seem confused on this issue, that if you change the stem length and also change the bars, such that your hands wind up in the same place relative to the steering axis, you will have zero change on steering feel. You can put a 1000mm stem on there and super long backward reaching bars and your leverage won't have changed. The amount of flex in that system will likely have changed though, and that could impact "feel" in other ways. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d6fac9de-5b1d-4d59-ae36-77855ddf4d4fn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Aging cyclists (was upright bars and geometry)
On Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 8:41:29 AM UTC-4 rmro...@gmail.com wrote: Garth, of course nothing you say here is wrong, it’s simply not the same for everyone. And I know you know that. I am a 68 year old lifetime cyclist. I’ve been through many drop bar bikes and though my last one (Custom Richard Sachs) was easily the best, I was never truly comfortable. This is a timely topic for me. I'm about to turn 61 and, until last spring, I thought I had dialed in my perfect bike fit. Doing a fair amount of yoga starting in my 40's really helped my flexibility and core strength, so I ride with a pretty low, flat back. I use pretty deep drop bars (mostly Noodles), set the tops a bit below the saddle, and spend a lot of time on the drops. My personal cubit is how I check seat-bar distance, and the backs of my handlebar tops at the stem have always been 2-4cm ahead of my fingertips. When I was spec'ing out my new Sam, I spent a long time on stem length and finally decided to go shorter. This is also relevant to the previous thread, as the Sam has a much slacker seat tube angle than my other bikes, making it a bit more challenging to translate fit from the other bikes. On the Sam, the bars are just a few mm ahead of my fingers. I was worried this would be too cramped, so it was a bit of a revelation when I found it was comfortable and still allowed plenty of breathing space. Thinking about it, I realized that it was logical that my seat-bar distance would need to shrink a bit. I have pretty severe osteoporosis and a couple of compressed vertebrae, so my torso length is shorter than it was 5 years ago. So, yeah, everybody ages differently, but we all age and need to be aware of how our bodies are changing and how that impacts position and fit on the bike. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dabecbe8-fc5f-4768-8534-552f6dde3021n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Style on the bike
On Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 12:51:32 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: It’s time for more style on the bike posts! It’s truly autumn now. What are you wearing, fellow Rivsters? Well, this was taken 11 years ago, but I'm sure I'll be wearing the same thing soon. Lycra shorts from Aerotech, Rivendell LS wool jersey. Socks these days are mostly from Bombas, not Smartwool. Shoes aren't shown ... for that bike, my Rivendell Road (Joe built/Joe painted), I still go with bindings, so shoes would be Lake MX-1. This photo was taken on an unusually warm Thanksgiving Day. In lower temps I'd probably wear my MUSA or Rene Herse knickers over the lycra shorts. The Riv Road doesn't have a handlebar bag so a jersey with rear pockets is usually needed. On a big with a handlebar bag I would just wear a Smartwool lightweight half-zip if it's not too cold. Sunny and upper 70's here this week ... I'll still be wearing SS polo shirts or LS seersucker. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/3512c732-7af3-436b-845f-5214b0d109d5n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Style on the bike
On Friday, September 29, 2023 at 5:13:02 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: I love that jersey and your shades. Oops, missed the shades ... should have to do this fashion mag style ... Glasses by Tifosi Optics. (I love Tifosi ... relatively inexpensive, durable, and reader lenses for the interchangeable style I like.) Tell me why Bombas and not Smartwool. I’ve never tried Bombas - should I? Smartwools never wore well, and would shrink up and the tightness in the forefoot aggravated my bunionettes. I also spent time in Darn Tough socks ... better than Smartwool, but Bombas are softer, looser knit, and the forefoot stays reasonably loose. Lately I've also been trying and liking Injinji socks with separate toes, which are really good for keeping my forefoot from being overly constricted. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ecef0861-88d6-40eb-b013-523a28a8390bn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Tree Sap
On Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 8:11:43 AM UTC-5 Bill Lindsay wrote: What about tree sap? Have you ever ridden over tree sap? Funny you should ask that. East Coast Sam lives in Portland, ME, and recently I was surprised by a very sticky water bottle. At first I thought it was just some of my liquid fuel, but it turned out to be pine sap. There was sap all over the underside of the bike and even on my tail light. My son-in-law had just been to a car wash where they recommended liquid Purell hand sanitizer for removing sap from his car. I used it on the bike and. it was amazing - melted the sap like magic. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e90ebb33-3575-471b-930c-8e3201bbc533n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: "A Steamy Lug Affair" by Grant Petersen
Grant wrote, "I think we're at the point in bicycle history where lugged frames will either undergo a renaissance or face extinction..." It's nice to be on the other side of almost 25 years later and see which way it went! Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a3058b5-51dd-4f20-994c-eeb4b1c25575n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Sit Bone Width and Saddles
On Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 6:45:42 PM UTC-6 Jay wrote: I'll preface this by saying I know saddles are highly subjective, and what works for one may not work for you. What I wanted to ask about is "general thinking". Just wanting to confirm some thoughts I've had about this... Saddle dimensions are much more complex than just width. It's not just where the sit-bones hit the saddle, but at what angle. How much of the saddle lies outside the sit-bones and how it's shaped are also very important. Also important are the cant of the rear and how much "scoop" there is in the transition from tail to front. And all of those things, as you note, have to be in the context of your back-hip angle as you ride. WTB saddles tend to be very flat across the back, with an abrupt falloff in cross-section. I was attracted to them by the cant and scoop, which are a key feature of most Brooks saddles, but the flatness didn't work for me. The Soma Ensho, which is made by Velo in Taiwan, is perfect for me. It's 275mm wide, but the back has a slightly rounded cross-section that falls off at an increasing rate. The amount of cant and scoop feel just right. I can only ride B-17's in a more upright position, and I have to be positioned a little forward on them. I also ride a Berthoud Aspin, which is a similar shape and width in cross-section but has a bit less cant and scoop. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/003f16e2-37f9-4fef-9621-5d8651738c0en%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Sit Bone Width and Saddles
On Feb 29, 2024, at 1:21 PM, Bill Lindsay wrote:" It's 275mm wide,"That's probably the length, not the width. :)Yup. Shouldn’t try to make rushed posts before getting on a plane. It’s 140mm wide BL in ECOn Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 8:39:54 AM UTC-8 Ted Durant wrote:On Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 6:45:42 PM UTC-6 Jay wrote:I'll preface this by saying I know saddles are highly subjective, and what works for one may not work for you. What I wanted to ask about is "general thinking". Just wanting to confirm some thoughts I've had about this...Saddle dimensions are much more complex than just width. It's not just where the sit-bones hit the saddle, but at what angle. How much of the saddle lies outside the sit-bones and how it's shaped are also very important. Also important are the cant of the rear and how much "scoop" there is in the transition from tail to front. And all of those things, as you note, have to be in the context of your back-hip angle as you ride.WTB saddles tend to be very flat across the back, with an abrupt falloff in cross-section. I was attracted to them by the cant and scoop, which are a key feature of most Brooks saddles, but the flatness didn't work for me. The Soma Ensho, which is made by Velo in Taiwan, is perfect for me. It's 275mm wide, but the back has a slightly rounded cross-section that falls off at an increasing rate. The amount of cant and scoop feel just right. I can only ride B-17's in a more upright position, and I have to be positioned a little forward on them. I also ride a Berthoud Aspin, which is a similar shape and width in cross-section but has a bit less cant and scoop.Ted DurantMilwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/x2JM0Re9BcM/unsubscribe. To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1f8bca62-9aad-49a2-8096-c3f73421bf5an%40googlegroups.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/AEB79E15-63D8-4CBC-B0BA-6AA1F1872632%40gmail.com.
Re: [RBW] Sit Bone Width and Saddles
> On Feb 29, 2024, at 9:18 PM, Jay wrote: > > Maybe it was because I wasn't wearing bibs that have just don't work for me. > That’s a very good possibility. I worked hard to find saddles that work well for me and, in the case of the leather saddles, worked hard to tune the fit. Anything more than a very thin pad in biking shorts ruins the ride for me. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI 53217 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/E6CD9480-07E7-44BF-AD80-1B19143BDC69%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Smooth Post Brake Pads
Jumping off of Bill Lindsay's RoadeoRosa thread, where he commented on the varsity level work required to de-squeak his Rene Herse brakes I love Jan and his stuff, but I think keeping the smooth post brake pads for his brakes is being a slave to the past. I've never liked any of the brakes I've had that used them. Hard to set up, impossible to adjust after tightening (any aluminum bits immediately deform, preventing further adjustment), limited replacement options. I just replaced the pads on the Shimano CX-50 cantilever brakes on East Coast Sam. I wanted cartridge holders for easy pad swapping, prompted by a white-knuckle descent of Connor Pass in Ireland on a very wet day. I put on 105 holders with Kool Stop dual-compound pads, which I've loved on the Silver/Tektro long-reach side pulls I've had on various bikes. Setting them up took all of about 5 seconds on each side, and zero squeal out the gate. (Release the springs, do an initial install and slight tighten, then put a credit card between the trailing edge and the rim, squeeze the brake lever, loosen and re-tighten the pad, done. Don't forget to put the springs back on.) All of which made me dream up an adapter that would allow for mounting a bolt-on pad on a brake that uses smooth post pads. I'm envisioning a bolt on one end, to attach to the brake arm, and a flat tab on the other, with a hole for the pad mounting bolt to pass through. The tab probably wants to be offset from the center axis of the bolt, to put the inner face closer to the inside edge of the brake arm. A bit of Googling came up with zilch. Anybody handy with machining stainless steel rod stock? Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ca69ba73-753f-452b-a076-356c2cb7a36bn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Smooth Post Brake Pads
On Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 9:11:20 AM UTC-5 Bill Lindsay wrote: ...Smooth post cantilevers, in my view, raise the ceiling for a good mechanic. I feel like the extra work required represents the mechanical "envelope" to get things perfect. On these forums (RBW, IBOB, 650B) I've advised that the typical home-mechanic should probably not take on Rene Herse Cantilevers, it's too heavy a lift. The second reason is that smooth post cantilevers give me more room to play with rim width. In the hands of the right mechanic, I think smooth post cantilevers are preferable. Such a great, thoughtful response, Bill. I encourage everyone to read it through, even though I've kept just a small part of it here. I had a laugh because Dia Compe 986 are exactly what I had in mind about impossible to readjust brakes. 20 year old me had them on both a Marukin Northstar and a Santana Elan. The Santana was especially challenging because Santana placed the mounts way too close together. They might have worked on a 5mm wide rim. The tandem was my wife's and my wedding gift to each other, and around our 30th anniversary I had Waterford do a full repaint and I replaced all the components with updated parts. Shimano CX-70 brakes were a revelation and for the first time I had fully confident braking on the bike. Wished I had them on our honeymoon, camping in Vermont! I hadn't thought much about rim width in writing my initial post, probably because I'd forgotten about the initial installation and choosing the right bolt/spacer combo on the CX-50s. But I don't think my mind is changed about the extent to which the Shimano CX system improves on smooth posts. On the contrary, the fact that I didn't have to think about that part of the setup when changing pads illustrates one of its advantages for me. Different length bolts and spacers would be compatible with the adapter I have in mind. Fortunately, having put 4 sets of CX brakes on bikes, I have a pretty good supply of spacers and bolts :-). I don't think the weight gain, if there is any, would be enough to change my mind. One thing that the CX and Rene Herse brakes have in common, that makes them such a pleasure (and so much easier) to work on, is the quality of the hardware. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cda7a295-5c56-440f-abd3-d6b5ddd7c194n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Smooth Post Brake Pads
On Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:46:15 PM UTC-5 Greg J wrote: Bill and Ted, can you explain what you mean by the Dia Compe 986 deforming or squishing when overtightened? I just did a bit of googling and realize the brakes I'm thinking of were 980, not 986. Wish I still had them to take photos. On mine, working from memory, the washers that have the channels for holding the brake pad post and the brake pad posts themselves deformed, making fine adjustment impossible. The eyebolt openings may also have deformed. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/49ad0a73-240c-42bd-b17b-239c4f5d8b5dn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Abomination? Riv Road "upgrades"
On Monday, March 18, 2024 at 9:57:32 AM UTC-5 EGNolan wrote: Pairing the wheels with some on-sale Vittoria Corsa G2.0 in 32 width made the bike smoother than with 650b x 42 GravelKings and loads faster. Is it an abomination? Heresy? Well, my only personal feeling about Eric's bike is that the graphics on the rims are kinda loud. Love the Ritchey cranks, though! I sold my Heron Touring bike to a friend, for whom it was a perfect fit. His brother-in-law, a hard-core road bike kinda guy, had a snazzy pair of "last year's" carbon fiber wheels that he gave to my friend for cheap. I was initially horrified by it and the cork pads he'd manage to find for the cantilever brakes, but he was happy and rode it a LOT, so that made me happy. I have a lovely Campagnolo Daytona group on my Rivendell Road, with wheels built by Joe Young using shiny, light, skinny FIR rims. I just discovered that Rene Herse 32mm tires fit with room to spare, measuring 29mm on those skinny rims. I also found a NOS 13-26 cassette to replace the 12-23 that I had on there. Talk about an upgrade! All of a sudden I like this bike a lot more. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8bd72f75-0a43-489f-885d-9227ff60a951n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: I have questions
On Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 8:10:14 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: Can 48 mm tires do a 15-17 mph road ride pace? Yes. I have Rene Herse 48mm tires on my Breadwinner G-Road, Gravel King (smooth) 48mm on West Coast Sam, and Ultradynamico 48mm tires on East Coast Sam, and 15-17mph is pretty much my normal pace on all of them. The Gravel Kings require only a bit more effort than the RH tires. The Ultradynamico tires require noticeably more effort, but it's not like they're boat anchors. I've done a couple of 20mph rides on the Breadwinner. My Rivendell Road recently went from 26 to 32mm (though they measure 29 on the skinny rims) tires. It's easier to ride at 20mph on that bike, but only marginally so. What are people using to charge phones on long rides away from home? For my Breadwinner I spent a lot of time thinking about and designing a flexible generator-light-charging setup, and I'm very happy with the result. The coaxial wire from the hub ends in a quick-connector behind the fork crown. Normally my headlight (Supernova E3 pro 2) plugs into that, and the tail light plugs into the headlight. If I want to charge something, I have a Sinewave Revolution that can plug into the generator instead of the headlight. That leaves me without lights, but I also can plug the lights into a USB power source. Supernova says the lights won't run off a battery, but the 5v from the battery is more than enough. They aren't at their full brightness, but they are plenty bright for most conditions. I prefer having a headlight with a properly shaped beam (sorry, Beacon), and you can't really generate enough watts to run both a light and charge a phone, anyway. And besides, reasonably lightweight USB power sources are cheap and easy. The one I have is only a few ounces and can charge my phone 3x. And I can recharge it from my generator hub if I want. In fact, theoretically I can connect both the generator and the lights to the battery, and it will charge the battery as the battery is powering the lights. I haven't tested that to see if the generator makes enough power to run the lights and still add to the battery charge level. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fa6a1dee-fe8e-4345-bf09-27eebd9b18e6n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: I have questions
On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 6:55:19 PM UTC-5 Max S wrote: A dyno hub puts out a nominal 3 Watts. If you ride it for an hour, that's 3 watt-hours worth of electricity. Let's say it gets split between the light and your phone. If you ride continuously for 10 hours, that's about 30 watt-hours. Let's say half is used to power the light, half to power the phone... I probably read the same long, nerdy article as Johnny A, and I think you’ll actually get less than half of that going to the phone (or whatever else you plugged in). That’s why I set up my system to be one or the other. And, as Jason said, you actually can damage your phone because of the variable power output. I set up my system primarily so I can charge a power bank if needed … hopefully as I’m coasting down a nice long mountain descent where I can convert all that potential energy into stored electrons. I also like the idea of being able to power the lights from the battery instead of the generator when I’m on a long climb. Every watt counts :-) But day in, day out, I like having the lights “always on” running off the generator. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a8d5507e-0b0f-40b3-8e4a-4e20f7fa9c24n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: I have questions
On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 9:21:01 PM UTC-5 Joe Bernard wrote: Seconded on RH knobbies. I have them in 42mm and they're alarmingly nice on pavement whilst leaving some margin when I hit dirt and gravel spots (which is most pavement rides around here). I’m not quite as smitten with the RH knobbies. I run 48mm tires on my Breadwinner G-Road, and I find the knobbies to be just buzzy enough on pavement to detract a bit from the ride. Of course, that’s compared to smooth tread ultralights. If I ever take the bike where I expect there to be more dirt riding, though, I’d definitely bring the knobbies. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a9923aed-2365-492e-b6b2-c30e0a629652n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: [BOB] Re: Bump! ISO: 10-speed spacers. And question.
FWIW, the center-center spacing for Shimano cogs is: 7sp 5.00 8sp 4.80 9sp 4.35 10sp 3.95 11sp Road 3.69 11sp MTB 3.90 Sorry, I don’t have 12 and 13. Cog + spacer widths need to add to those numbers. Theoretically you can use thinner cogs than spec with wider spacers, but you would run into trouble with chain fit using thicker cogs with thinner spacers. If somebody finds or assembles a complete table of cog and spacer thickness spec’s, that would be a significant contribution to humankind. I’ll be posting on a related topic, soon. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/90ce8bc7-9e2b-4335-abc6-278fc1a7ef4cn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Craigslist, etc 2024
On Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 12:59:04 PM UTC-5 Matthew Williams wrote: Sam Hillborne F/F/HS/BB 51cm 1550 Livonia, MI https://www.ebay.com/itm/176315208003 Oooh, it’s tempting to add a blue “Midwest Sam” to join my green “West Coast Sam” and silver “East Coast Sam”. Unfortunately I’ve maxed my basement bike storage and N+1 is no longer an option. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c615812a-c4b2-40d5-a5d2-cb82e09fa0ben%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Gearing Choices
that with 44/40 up front, and like me you ride 650x38b tires at 75-100rpm, you would have 18 distinct gears in a range from 49.5.kph to 7.6kph with an average step of 9.3% and a standard deviation of steps of 0.9%. Good luck building a 1x system with that range, step size, and consistency! And, good luck finding a 9sp 11-13-16-19-23-38-34-41-49 cassette! And, of course, if you want that setup you are forced to go with a butt-ugly modern derailer in back. The good news is you can use pretty much anything, including a stick, to shift up front! That said, a large number of cogs in back can allow for something of a nice combination of half-step and crossover. Some people talk of a “1.5 step”, but I’ve evolved to a bit different way of thinking about it. In theory, because of the cubing effect of wind resistance as speed increases, you should want progressively smaller gear differences as the gears get taller for a consistent difference in pedaling effort. In practice, I find this is true, to some extent, but the more relevant factors are hills and wind. In a nutshell, sometimes I want bigger gaps, and sometimes I want smaller. What I DON’T want, is to have a big difference in gaps smack dab in the middle of where I usually ride. And, sure enough, on one of my bikes, I am usually right near where the cogs go 14-15-17. That’s gaps of 6.9% and 12.5% right next to each other, and it’s a jarring difference. So my new, patent-pending approach, is to think of the rear cogs as essentially two ranges, close steps on the smaller half and larger steps on the larger half. If I’m in conditions where I want small steps, I stay on the smaller half; if I want larger steps, I stay on the larger half. In practice it’s very similar to a “half step plus granny” setup. It turns out, I have a bike that has an almost perfect example of this setup, and I have subconsciously been using it this way. An important part of this setup is that you cannot use the typical mindset of “maximize the drop from the big ring to the small” in current 2x setups. If you do that, you will probably take the gearing too low for the small steps to be useful. On the setup I have that works well, I chose to make the chainring jump less jarring than my other bike. A 42/26 combo is a giant 48% change. If I don’t shift at least two gears in back in conjunction with a front change, my cadence has to change way beyond my comfort level. A 44/32, on the other hand, is 32% and far more manageable. I have that on a bike with 650x48b tires and 11-32 11sp in back. That cassette is 11-15 in 1-tooth increments, then 17-32 in relatively even steps. If I cross over from the 44x15 to the 32x12, I have 9 gears that have an average 7.9% step between them (sd 0.9%). Staying on the small ring I have 7 more gears at an average 12.6% gap (sd 1.3%). Additionally, I can ride in the large chainring in the 44x17 at 28.7kph or 44x19 at 25.7 kph, the heart of my usual speed, and have consistent 2-tooth changes either direction in back. Or, I can ride in the 32x13 at 27.3 or the 32x14 at 25.3, with nice 1-tooth changes in either direction. The range total range is 9.6 to 51.0 kph for me. I’d want to get that down some if I was carrying a bunch of stuff off road in the mountains, but for riding around here that’s more than enough range. Back to my dilemma … the large cog of 32 and total wrap of 33 teeth in that setup are easily managed by a SunTour Cyclone GT derailer from the late 70’s. Be still my beating heart! No ugly modern derailer necessary! I still think a 2x7 half-step setup, with 18% gaps in the rear and 9% up front, is a killer setup for most road and gravel riding that doesn’t involve, say, more than 10% extended climbing grades. You’ll have to build your own cassette, though. A 2x11 or 2x12 two-range setup as I’ve describe above, though, is very practical and pretty widely available. Spreadsheet available upon request. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c62db6a9-6508-400b-9d6d-e63cfa0e7cc3n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
> On Apr 3, 2024, at 11:54 AM, Piaw Na wrote: > > I'm a big fan of half-step + granny for 7-speed rear cassettes and > freewheels. I think I even wrote an article about it for the Rivendell Reader > at one point (good luck digging it up!). What killed it for me was once > cassettes got to the point where constructing your cassette was no longer > supported or too much work, it was no longer practical. I remember that, and probably could dig it up! And, yeah, you really have to build your own. > Those who live in places where 20+% grades are unusual or cannot be found > probably won't bother with my low gears. This is super important and where “YMWCV”! I should have prefaced my entire treatise by making it clear that most of my riding is in SE Wisconsin on mostly paved roads and crushed limestone trails. The limestone trails are abandoned railroad beds, so rarely exceed 2% grade. We have only a few hills that approach 20% and they are quite short. Mostly it’s rollers that are 5%, occasionally 10%. The wind, on the other hand …. Riding in the LA area, especially trying to go up avg 10% dirt/rocky trails that go on for miles, my gearing needs are somewhat different. One of the thoughts I’m keeping in mind as I spec a new bike is flexibility … if I travel with this bike, will I be able to easily modify the gearing/tires/fenders/racks/lighting to match the intended conditions. But then, I also have a few different bikes, so ultimate flexibility might not be paramount :-) > On Apr 3, 2024, at 12:33 PM, Bill Lindsay wrote: > > So, you have settled on what your gearing and derailleur choices will be? If > yes, what exactly will they be? What rear wheel OLD will you be using? Will > it be a cassette rear hub or a freewheel? How many cogs in back, what cogs? > If it's a contemporary 10 or 11speed cassette width, have you confirmed your > Suntour RD will sweep that horizontal distance? What shifters will you use? All TBD, but I can confirm that a Vx GT and a Cyclone MkII GT will cover 9 -11 cog cassettes. In fact, a Cyclone MkII GT executes flawless index shifting on a 9-speed 12-36 cassette using Shimano 10-speed bar end shifters. I’ve posted elsewhere about this … SunTour derailers should index perfectly on a Shimano-SRAM n speed cassette with Shimano n-1 speed shifters, where 7<=n<=9. By “index perfectly” I mean that the horizontal derailer movement is exactly the right amount given the cable pull. An odd and interesting historical math artifact. What is also important is related to that. SunTour derailers have a high actuation ratio, meaning lots of horizontal movement relative to cable pull. As a result, “normal” shift levers are able to move a SunTour derailer across 8-12 cogs where other derailers would require a shift lever with more cable pull (a larger diameter drum around which the cable is wound). SRAM and newer Shimano derailers have much lower actuation ratios, driven (I hypothesize) by a desire to increase the amount of cable pull per shift and, consequently, increase the tolerance for imperfections in cable movement. Campagnolo, interestingly, _increased_ the actuation ratio slightly when they went from “old” 9 speed to “new” 9 speed and later. Always marching to their own beat, those Italians. My choice of shifters will depend on several factors, including the gearing, the derailer, whether I feel indexing is important, and whether I want to deal with the additional complication of handlebar-mounted shifters on a bike that might get rinko’d. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/4BFF8C95-2B86-4E6E-8CD8-32A34B4006A5%40gmail.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: [BOB] Re: Bump! ISO: 10-speed spacers. And question.
On Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 2:05:32 PM UTC-5 Garth wrote: https://bike.bikegremlin.com/3573/bicycle-cassette-rear-chainrings-standards/#2.1.2 https://bike.bikegremlin.com/1232/bicycle-cassette-compatibility/ Jackpot! Thanks for sharing! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cc9061f8-52da-4809-876d-3bc1dd667282n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
On Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 4:29:06 PM UTC-5 Ted Durant wrote: I can confirm that a Vx GT and a Cyclone MkII GT will cover 9 -11 cog cassettes. In fact, a Cyclone MkII GT executes flawless index shifting on a 9-speed 12-36 cassette using Shimano 10-speed bar end shifters. After more experimentation I have to retract that. The Cyclone MkII GT covers 9, but 10 is just a bit too far. In theory it’s less than 1mm extra distance. In practice, it probably depends on the specific cassette and where that innermost cog lies relative to the face of the derailer hanger. On a VO hub with a Shimano HG body, on my Terraferma, a Shimano 9-sp 12-36 worked okay, but a Shimano 10-sp 12-28 requires just a bit more sweep. And I had trouble getting a new Silver (1) shifter to hold its position during the test. Beeswax or Loctite might have helped. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8fa985e6-20e2-423b-8be6-0b825929f05cn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
On Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 9:54:49 PM UTC-5 Bill Lindsay wrote: Even OLD is TBD? Yes, but I don’t have any specific requirements there. I don’t expect chainring clearance or chain deflection issues to cause me to lean in a particular direction. However, availability of compatible components will be a factor. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a8ffaae-2aff-4645-98e2-6278f273938bn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
On Friday, April 5, 2024 at 3:17:24 AM UTC-5 divis...@gmail.com wrote: As Snoopy said long ago: "Some of us prefer to sacrifice comfort for style". I’m not comfortable riding a bike with an ugly derailer so I don’t have conflicting objectives. :-) Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1298b26c-eebc-4cbe-9376-12d0ddb2af8bn%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
On Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 12:21:15 AM UTC-5 Luke Hendrickson wrote: I run the gearing that I do (13-34 7s with 46-34-22 up front) solely because it allows me to run my Suntour XC three-pulley rd! Admittedly the 45T chain wrap is nine above the stated 36T maximum but still :) Bravo! That derailer gets no love from Disraeligears but it has a warm spot in my heart. Wacky, clever engineering. Also, an update here … I added a pristine Cyclone GT to my collection. I decided to put the SunTours on my Breadwinner, which has an 11-speed setup, to see how they’d manage the required sweep. They don’t. One of the issues on that bike is that it’s a 140mm through-axle rear, and the first cog is a pretty long way from the face of the derailer hanger. I did a quick look at some other bikes, and it appears the derailer hanger-to-first cog distance varies by quite a bit. That will definitely have an impact on whether an old derailer has enough sweep for a given setup. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/962d650a-7e1b-4d5a-943f-88bc6d669e74n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Gearing Choices
On Friday, April 5, 2024 at 7:44:35 PM UTC-5 george schick wrote: I'm apparently of the same ilk as Bill. I'm using a Shimano Crane RD (their predecessor to the Dura-Ace line) on a Fuji Finest of the same time period, very early 70's, and it looks just fine on there. I’m working from a much more modern source of inspiration … my 1979 Fuji America.:-) Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f626798f-ad68-41ee-aca4-e5f9b71b0e5an%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: WTB - 9spd Dura Ace downtube shifters
On Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 2:48:19 PM UTC-5 Bill Lindsay wrote: Also, you can get brand new 9sp bar cons from Rivendell at $140, and elsewhere for a few dollars less. Some people run bar cons on their down tube shifter bosses, and they work fine. FYI, Grant tells me that he thinks Shimano has stopped making the 9sp bar-end shifters "after 25 or 26 years of making them". Get 'em while you can, and expect the price to get eye-watering. And, yes, you can run them on the down tube. Interesting bit of RBW history ... I pointed this out to Grant a long time ago, and that the opposite was true, that downtube shifters could be mounted on Shimano bar-end pods. And thus were born the Silver 1 bar-end shifters. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/362ccd4b-9ae5-4dde-8d36-4d6c0ae545d4n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Friction 9 V 10 speed
On Monday, April 15, 2024 at 8:27:21 PM UTC-5 ber...@bernardduhon.com wrote: Previous threads and literature suggests that the closer the cogs in 10 & 11 speeds makes for better friction shifting. What has been your experience? Like others, I have had mixed experience. A few observations - 1. On a very springy frame, derailer cables get yanked when you push hard on the pedals. I have a Terraferma that's so flexible even I can make it swing. I currently have some Cyclone derailers and Silver 1 shifters on that bike, with a 9-speed cassette, and there's no way I could tighten the shifters enough to keep it from ghost shifting if I do an out-of-the-saddle stoplight sprint. Other than that, it's a nice, smooth-shifting experience. It can be a little tricky to quiet the rear derailer when a cog is between clicks of the shifter. Which leads to ... 2. The reduction in derailer actuation (the ratio of derailer movement to cable movement) has been driven by the desire to have more cable movement per cog, to improve index shifting. The same effect can be felt with friction shifting, especially with shifters that use a micro-ratchet mechanism (like Silver). If the derailer requires only a small amount of cable movement to shift one cog, I find that the shifter can be between clicks, requiring one extra click then a slight shove forward. This gets pretty fiddly and would certainly be annoying if you're riding with the carbon folks or are oxygen deprived at 13k feet. Which leads to ... 3. The Simplex retrofriction bar-end shifters are absolutely perfect for shifting SRAM "exact actuation" (1.30 derailer actuation) derailers over 10-11 speed cassettes. The 1.30 derailer actuation requires a fair amount of cable pull, and the Simplex bar-ends pull a lot of cable. Being retrofriction instead of ratchets, you never have the problem of being between clicks. Don't go putting Simplex retrofriction downtube levers on your bike and think you'll get the same experience, though. The downtube levers pull much less cable. Bottom line ... you have to match your friction levers to your derailer and cog count combo if you want a system that works without a lot of fiddling. Not that fiddling is bad, necessarily. But you also should feel free to decide that indexing is better for your style of riding. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9abc3aeb-b952-4b41-b434-bd11f87ad199n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Re: Rivendell Roadbike Curious
On Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 1:12:20 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: I am, right now, leaning toward a Gallup bike but will keep reading and learning. And right now, I’m heading out to do Tabatas training. I had to look it up. Promises to be the most miserable 4 minutes of my day. Wow, first we hear you are road bike curious, now you are doing tabata workouts. Leah is going super hard core on us. My 2 cents worth ... "road bike", as opposed to what you currently ride and love, is first and foremost about riding position. FWIW, my recommendation is to skip past Albastache and Mustache and go straight to drop bars. Start with them relatively high and close, so when your hands are on the tops you feel like your back is relaxed and comfy. Bernard Hinault, I think, said you should feel like you're playing piano on the tops. You then have the curves on top, where your hands are a bit wider apart and slightly forward, and your back should still be comfy. Then you go forward to the brake hoods. Now you should feel like you're more forward than you would be on your current bikes. But, if you're riding at a hard enough effort (we're not talking super hard here), the force on the pedals should be carrying enough of your weight that you're not having to hold yourself up on your hands. Next you go below the brake hoods to the farthest forward part of the drops. This is the speedy aero position. You won't have a low, flat back here until you've lowered your stem/bars quite a bit. But you should have a flat back and you should be putting a fair amount of force into the pedals. Finally, there are the flat parts of the drops, with your hands back a bit closer to you, which are a "cruising" location for me (and right next to my bar end shifters), low enough to be efficient but not fully stretched out. I've recently read comments from "racers" that if you spend any amount of time down there your bars are too high. Well, my bars are certainly too high by their standards, but mine are set up for me to be comfortable in every spot. Very important: in EVERY position you should not be gripping the bar or brake hood tightly, you should have a very loose grip and not be bearing too much weight there. I typically am very slightly pulling up on the brake hoods or drops to counteract the pedaling force of the opposite leg. Also, you should ALWAYS have at least a slight bend in your elbows in every position. If you are locking your elbows something is wrong with the position and you're doing bad things to your wrist and shoulders and neck. General rule of thumb for starting out, have the tops of the bars maybe an inch above saddle height or, if you're already pretty flexible in the heaps and low back, level with the saddle. Put the back of an elbow at the front of the saddle and stretch your finger tips toward the handlebars. They should just touch the back of the handlebars at the stem. Maybe a little closer if you're tight, a little farther if you're flexible. Somebody recommended Noodle bars, which I heartily endorse, as that's what I have on most of my bikes. I like them because 1) the curves are generous 2) there's a little rise in the top curve, making them very comfy in that area) and 3) there's a fair amount of reach and drop, so you have a good range of positions. That last part is key for me on long rides. Sometimes I'm riding hard and need the long and low positions. Sometimes I'm taking it easy and need the high and near positions. I won't opine much on "which bike", because once you figure out your fit criteria, any bike that allows you to have that position will work fine. I have my Sam Hillbornes set up almost identically to my custom Waterford ST and Rivendell Road, except on the Riv Road the handlebars are a bit farther away and lower. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c49b3b0b-3e81-4036-8263-9c60106e7b45n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: TPU inner tubes - Anyone using them?
I just received a box of tubes that I ordered from Rene Herse, so here's my 1-ride review. Bike and rider weight is about 70kg/150lbs. First impression ... they are crazy small and light. Clear plastic tubes with shiny metal valve stems and "Rene Herse blue" caps - nice touch! Unfolding them they seem fragile, especially the valve stem junction. I ordered some 700x20-32 and 650x45-68. I installed the 700c tubes on my Waterford, which has 32mm Stampede Pass EL tires on DT TK-540 rims with Velox rim tape. The rear tire is fairly new and had a bit over 500km on it. It had been reinstalled a few times (March is a bad time for flats in WI!). The front tire is a year old, probably has 3-4000km on it. Both tires come off the rim and go back on without tire levers. The tubes are a tight fit on the rim and have to be stretched a bit to get around the rim. The tires popped right back on, and I inflated to 60 psi to seat the beads, then backed off to 45psi. On the second wheel the tube/stem interface immediately cracked and I had to grab a 3rd tube. I don't know if that was a bad tube or user error. No tire lever, but it's possible I didn't push the stem up into the tire enough to ensure the tube wasn't trapped by the bead. Given how fragile they feel, it seems it won't take much to cause that to happen. First subjective observation - I can really feel the weight reduction handling the wheels. Noticeably less inertia around the perimeter. First ride was 100km of road riding across the north side of Milwaukee (urban riding) through the western suburbs and exurbs to some rural roads around Holy Hill. At 900m of climbing, it's a pretty hilly ride but not crazy. Some of the road surfaces are beautiful, freshly paved goodness. Others are, well, lunar. I often take my Breadwinner out there for its 48mm tires. Immediate second subjective observation is that the tires sound different. There's a "whoosh whoosh" that sounds like nice tubulars. Third subjective observation is that the bumps feel and sound different, more "thwip thwhip" than "thump thump". Third subjective observation is that it FEELS like the tires return more energy from deflection, whether from bumps or, especially, when swerving suddenly to avoid an obstacle or making a quick acceleration. I have no idea if there really is less hysteresis loss, but it feels that way. No flats today, but clear dry roads, even crossing the north side of the city, aren't usually an issue. So, I very much like the lightness and the feel of them, and the light blue stem caps are a nice touch that will look good on most of my bikes. I'm concerned about the fragility of the valve stem interface. No data or anecdotes, yet, on durability and ease of repair. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/46d1fcbb-a080-4b76-a32f-461658716273n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Rivendell Roadbike Curious
On Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 4:07:47 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: Ok, ok….I really will consider drop bars. But I do wonder…everyone says they offer so many hand positions; but I only see people with their hands on the hoods. Are riders really utilizing different hand positions? Great question. Racers and wannabe racers as I noted set up their bikes with a big drop from saddle to bars and a shorter horizontal reach to the bars. And they spend almost all their time on the hoods. I roam all over the bars. Today's 100km somewhat hilly, fairly windy ride was a great example. Heading out into the wind I spent a fair amount of time on the drops and hoods, but I was not riding at a hard effort (averaged around 22kph going out). Getting into the hills was a lot more time on the tops and the hoods, with a few standing climbs, working harder on the hills that got up to 15%. Coming home with a tail wind was a fair amount of time on the top curves, not riding too hard, enjoying the tail wind motor assist (and the net down hill). Also, I saw a pic of an albastache with brake levers in the middle of the bar. Would this mimic the freedom of hand position changes a drop bar offers? My experience has been that's not a great alternative. The wrist angles tend to be weird. I practiced tonight on my ride by grabbing the front of my Billie bars. It felt nice to be stretched out like that, but with no access to brakes or shifters from there I didn’t like to stay long. Unnerving. Understood! That's one reason why some people set up drop bars with cyclocross-inspired interrupter brake levers under the tops. I never have felt the need for that on road rides. If my hands are on the tops, I'm probably not going fast enough to need an immediate stop. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/2dca7c80-71d3-4d21-a826-2dbf94b3fe9cn%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: TPU inner tubes - Anyone using them?
On Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 6:00:27 PM UTC-5 four...@gmail.com wrote: I'd be curious if you came off butyl or latex tubes prior? guess I'm just not that convinced the TPUs are worth the extra price over latex (at least the price of the RH versions).. Great question, and one I'd intended to answer in my review, but then forgot. I've ridden all my RH 32mm tires with Schwalbe SV16 tubes (and occasionally another 28-32mm tube that's been pressed into emergency service). I have not used latex tubes in quite a while. I used them on my Riv Road with some skinny tires and had two pinch flats on one group ride. Haven't used them since. Soon I will try TPU on my Breadwinner, which is 650x48B. They'll also go on my Heron (after it's back from the spa) and my Riv Road, both of which also ride on Stampede Pass tires. The big advantage of TPU over latex, in theory, is the air retention. I'll know how that's going in a couple of days. IMO, the question is whether TPUs are worth the substantial price premium over butyl. I've just "invested" a pretty big chunk of money into TPU tubes for 4 bikes. In terms of ride quality, my first impression is quite positive. TBD on the durability and flat-resistance. Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f2255942-bd69-42ff-9585-df3c46dcd116n%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] Rivendell Roadbike Curious
> On Apr 21, 2024, at 7:59 PM, RichS wrote: > > Leah, one more thought building on the Sam, Homer, Ram, etc. suggestions. The > periwinkle color samples Will showed in the Friday Riv newsletter strikes me > as a color that is right in your wheelhouse. I know one of the country bikes > is not at the top of your wanted list, but I believe you could build a > reasonably light (23-24lbs.?), zippy periwinkle Sam rolling on RH or > Continental 5000 32mm tires and you'd be at the front! > FWIW, I am very happy with my 2 Sams as all-rounder road and trail bikes. I have them set up, position-wise, very much like my “road” bikes and with Noodle bars. I wouldn’t hesitate to take them on a group ride, though I probably wouldn’t try to hang with the 25mph club. One thing to be aware of as you compare options is that Grant likes shallow seat tube angles these days. That makes it a little trickier to compare the handlebar reach with other bikes. (Don’t get me started on the bike companies that are now publishing “effective seat tube angle”.) I decided to set up my Sams with a bit less reach than my other bikes, so the back of the handlebars is just beyond my fingertips, rather than an inch or two. I don’t think you need to go all the way down to 32mm tires to make it zippy. I have 48’s on mine and that might be overkill, but I bet 38’s would be super fast and agile. (Decreasing tire size reduces both pneumatic and geometric trail and it reduces rotational inertia, all of which makes a bike feel “zippier”.) I saw the Periwinkle sample and am stupidly tempted to get a third Sam. But I also understand the curiosity about a true road bike. My Heron and Riv Road and Waterford ST-22 have around 33,000 kms on them since 2017. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5668D791-0113-4DE1-BF05-E2816439120E%40gmail.com.
[RBW] Re: TPU inner tubes - Anyone using them?
On Monday, April 22, 2024 at 7:02:25 AM UTC-5 lconley wrote: FYI - The RH instructions say to inflate slowly and immediately deflate the tubes completely after the tire pops into position, then reinflate. Well, I put them on my Riv Road today, was very careful with the installation, and had the same result. One of the tubes broke at the valve stem immediately on inflation in the tire. The rims are narrow Fir, and the tires are a pretty tight fit. I used levers to remove the tire but was able to reinstall without levers. New tires with only a few rides on them. So, I've needed 6 tubes to get 4 tires going. That makes the economics a little harder to justify. It also makes carrying a new one as a spare a bit of Russian roulette. Ted Durant Milwaukee WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f071a168-8a07-4310-a19e-f92415039d8an%40googlegroups.com.
Re: [RBW] TPU inner tubes - Anyone using them?
> On Apr 22, 2024, at 12:56 PM, Bill Lindsay wrote: > > I received three of the Rene Herse 584x45-68mm variant in the mail this > morning, and installed two on my custom Falconer without issue. The third > will serve as a spare. Anyone else who has received RH TPU tubes … mine have a little round piece of plastic between the valve stem and the tube, like a cute little collar, that seems to be for reinforcement, but it’s not actually attached to the tube - it’s just floating there. If it was glued to the tube, it probably would have prevented the leak. Anybody else looked at their tubes - is that collar attached or flapping around? Ted Durant Milwaukee, WI USA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/E510AD7C-8E9D-4F2A-8BEF-1D7F89B91BF7%40gmail.com.
